Egypt announces find of ancient cat goddess temple

[StarfarerBill]

By Hamza Hendawi, Associated Press Writer

CAIRO – Archaeologists have unearthed a 2,000-year-old temple that may have been dedicated to the ancient Egyptian cat goddess, Bastet, the Supreme Council of Antiquities said Tuesday.

The ruins of the Ptolemaic-era temple were discovered by Egyptian archaeologists in the heart of the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C.

The city was the seat of the Greek-speaking Ptolemaic Dynasty, which ruled over Egypt for 300 years until the suicide of Queen Cleopatra.

The statement said the temple was thought to belong to Queen Berenice, wife of King Ptolemy III who ruled Egypt in the 3rd century B.C.

Mohammed Abdel-Maqsood, the Egyptian archaeologist who led the excavation team, said the discovery may be the first trace of the long-sought location of Alexandria's royal quarter.

More:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100119/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_egypt_alexandria_temple

[bigendian]

1. Religion and royalty.

A wicked combo.

Was this next door to the temple of the flying spaghetti monster?

[xchrom]

2. And she's going to want her catnip back. Nt

[dgibby]

3. Being a humble servant of my kitteh overlords,

I can certainly appreciate the ancient Egyptians' worship of the cat goddess. I have found worship is the best way to coexist with them.:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Froward69]

4. The ONLY way to

coexist with them. Kitties are our overlords and demand ear scratching daily, with an occasional tummy rub. Do NOT forget a can of tuna once a week. With continued attention to doorman service at their every whim. To include holding the door open whilst they reevaluate their thought of entering or exiting their domicile.

With this attention to detail you may be rewarded with an occasional dead bird or mouse.

without this homage, death and destruction of civilization will ensue!!! :sarcasm:

[dgibby]

5. I gather you are also owned by a feline master.

Even my dogs are resigned to their servitude.

[Froward69]

7. Orange fe-LION

named "Inc."



he knows where I sleep

[tango-tee]

6. Walking can-opener checking in here!

Just glad my Chief Inspector (cat Mosche) usually accepts my humble offerings.

[dgibby]

8. I have 8 of them to serve.

That doesn't count the ferals I feed on the porch. I had 7, but one of the ferals decided to come in with my cats, surveyed the place, and decided to stay. I couldn't blast him out with a stick of dynamite! I named him Ripley, as in "believe it or not, there's another cat in this house!".

[emilyg]

9. I have 12 - all strays

Once you feed them they're yours.

[tango-tee]

10. Twenty years ago

I lived in Sicily for four years. People there are wonderful, sweet, kind, but many don't seem to be terribly attached to their four-legged companions. Anyway, the apartment I rented covered an entire floor of the building which was built into the side of Mount Etna, the back door going out onto an alley, while the front of the apartment was on the second floor, with a huge, beautiful balcony covered in ivy so old it actually had trunks like a tree.

My strays climbed up the ivy in front so I could feed them on the balcony. There must have been about ten or fifteen of them in varying attendance each day.

At the back door there was a young cat which always showed up very early in the morning while it was still dark to get food, which I faithfully gave it each day. I couldn't touch him (hint: I thought it was a "him"). Never saw the cat other than in the darkness and, like I said, I wasn't allowed to get close to it. Anyway, one afternoon I came home, ready to settle in for some reading and a glass of wine, and heard pitiful meowing from the back door. Went to check what it was about and it was the presumed tomcat - who turned out to be a very pregnant female.

This cat had never been in the apartment before, but as soon as I opened the door rushed straight past me through the hallway into my bedroom and proceeded to have her kittens right there under the bed. I slept on the sofa for a couple of weeks to give her peace and quiet in the bedroom without me constantly milling around. It was wonderful to see the kittens grow, and watch Mama Cat love and teach her babies.

Well, I believe this story meant to tell me was that there must have been *something* which told Mama Cat that she would be safe enough in this particular place to have her first litter. I wonder to this day what this might have been? Do animals possess a particular sense in this respect?

[StarfarerBill]

12. I'm such a slacker; only two kittehs, both adopted from a friend who fosters them.

:)

[silverweb]

11. So true, so true.

I have only half your number, but they rule the household.

This humble worshipper is only delighted that they favor me (when it suits them) with snuggles and purrs. :D

[sakabatou]

13. Long live Ceiling Cat!