Who was Bastet?
Q: Who was Bastet?
A: Bastet was the ancient Egyptian goddess of protection and cats. She was the warrior daughter and defender of Ra, who sent her to fight his archenemy Apep. As protectress, she was seen as defender of the pharaoh, after Sekhet, the lioness, and consequently of the chief god Ra.
Q: What other names is Bastet known by?
A: Bastet is also known as Bast, Ubasti, and Pasch.
Q: When did people start worshipping Bastet?
A: People started worshipping Bastet at least since the Second Dynasty in Ancient Egypt.
Q: Where was the center of her cult located?
A: The center of her cult was located in Per-Bast (Bubastis in Greek), which was named after her.
Q: How did people view her originally?
A: Originally she was seen as the protector goddess of Lower Egypt and her image was that of a fierce lion.
Q: What does "Bast" mean?
A: The name "Bast" means '(female) devourer'.
Q: What roles did she take on later in time?
A: Later in time she became known as a goddess of protection and blessing and became a protectress for women, children and domestic cats. She also became associated with sunrise, music, dance pleasure family fertility and birth.
