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When Cats Were Gods | Bast | Sekhmet | Maahes | Mafdet MafdetMafdet’s origins date back all the way to the 1st dynasty. Her name means ‘the runner’ and it is thought that she was viewed as a cheetah. Her powers were used for protection against snakes, scorpions, dangerous animals, and vermin, and for healing those who had been injured by such creatures. She served as the Pharaoh’s protector. Mafdet makes an appearance in the Pyramid Texts (hieroglyphs of spells and rites written on the walls of Old Kingdom tombs). The harpoon the Pharaoh used for decapitating his enemies in the underworld was titled ‘Mafdet’s claws’. Eventually her popularity was replaced by Bast, though she still found a place taking care of legal matters in the judgement hall of Amenti (the realm of the dead), as is depicted in early New Kingdom scrolls. Malek, Jaromir (2006). The Cat in Ancient Egypt. London: British Museum Press. ISBN 978-0714119700. "Mafdet" Gods and Mythology of Ancient Egypt. |
