Ancient cat goddess temple found in Egypt

[The Straight Story]

Ancient cat goddess temple found in Egypt

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 today.

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.

The large number of statues depicting Bastet found in the ruins, he said, suggested that this may be the first Ptolemaic-era temple dedicated to the cat goddess to be discovered in Alexandria.

http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100119/NEWS11/100119739

[ddeclue]

1. I'll be sure to tell my cat... MEOW!

[KittyWampus]

2. Humans once worshipped cats as gods. Cats have never forgotten this.

:)

[Lord Helmet]

3. I hope my cat doesn't see this. She'll be impossible to live with.

[BeHereNow]

4. I currently serve 5 of the Gods and Goddesses. They told me...

they KNEW this temple was there all along.

They then asked for more Temptation Kitty treats.

I bowed, thanked them, and promptly fetched the treats.
BHN

[IndianaGreen]

6. I have four manifestations of the goddess Bastet

They are convinced I am there to serve them.

[BeHereNow]

8. You ARE here to serve them! As am I, and many other DUers.

Kestrel for instance, has been assigned as to serve
in the royal court of Kitty health, one of the highest
slave positions in the kingdom.

Now get to WORK!

It is an honor to serve our masters and mistresses of deity!

BHN

[Bravo Zulu]

5. Take that Cat Goddess!

[Arugula Latte]

7. This is my religion.

Hail Bastet.