Week 11 [14.12-20.12.2015] Pets in Ancient Egypt

Pets in Ancient Egypt

The Egyptians are known for their deep appreciation of pets and birds, their gods were often given an animal form. But domestic animals, especially cats, dogs or monkeys, were so valued that their life was luxurious and sometimes they had their own burial and grave.

In the middle of the fifth century B.C. a Greek historian , Herodotus, visited Egypt. He noticed an unknown practice there , shaving eyebrows, which was a common ritual to mourn the dead. This mark of honor, surprisingly, was not for a dead person, but for a pet. Herodotus noticed many pet household in Egypt and people’s affection  towards them. He was startled that in homes where a pet had died, the whole family have their heads and whole body.

This devotion to animals dates back at least to the beginnings of the kingdom, when Egyptians had regularly painted pictures of their pets on the walls of tombs or inscribed their names on funerary stelae and sarcophagi. Egyptians believed that their dead pets would accompany them into the afterlife so that’s why they created statues, reliefs and paintings to commemorate them.

These images not only highlight the important role of pets played in their daily life, but they also tell us a great deal about the pets themselves. It has been possible to identify the specific breeds of animals that lived along the Nile, the extent to which they were domesticated, and even the veterinary practice with which they were treated. The most popular pets in ancient Egypt were dogs, cat and monkeys.

 

For the Egyptians, dogs were great friends and they accompanied in their houses and also during  hunting. Egyptian artists painted dogs on the most elegant tombs and the portraits were very detailed - body structure, coloration and special features. There were hunting dogs, guard dogs, house dogs, sheepdogs. Domesticated dogs enjoyed eating and sleeping with their masters.

Cats, were domesticated later than dogs, because it was the time of Middle Kingdom. They were judged as efficient hunters, killing smaller animals like snakes, mice and rats and other pets found in the houses and gardens of Egypt. Soon cats became an integral part of the household. Cats allowed their masters to collar them or tie eye-catching ribbons around their necks. They dozed beneath the chairs of their feasting owners. Later it was increasingly common to see cats represented on the walls of tombs. Judging by the images, these little animals had become the favourite pet of members of the royal family, Princess Sitamun or  Prince Thutmose. The great pharaoh Amenhoteph III ordered  the construction of  a magnificient stone sarcophagus with splendid inscriptions for Tamit, his own beloved cat.

Monkeys and baboons were well established as household pets. In tombs they are depicted climbing palms and fig trees to helps collect the highest fruits.

Pets in ancient Egypt enjoyed a  high level of care and a great deal of love. Most of them were strong boned and had glossy fur, which suggests a balanced diet. Household animals were considered worthy companions for the grave - they were mummified and  placed in graves with their owners.

http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/egypt/animals.htm

http://www.slideshare.net/recyclonesss/the-pets-of-ancient-egypt