Greek Gods, Mayan Gods, Norse Gods, but what about Egyptian Gods, Part II

BY MAKAYLA B. – 11 YEARS OLD

Welcome back to part II, of my journey through Egyptian Gods. Last week, I introduced Osiris, and his brother Set. We also learned about Isis, and her sister Nephthys. This edition, I am going to introduce you to one my personal favourites Bast.

If you saw one of the many feared Egyptian gods or goddesses, you would be petrified. But if you saw a lady wearing a cheetah-patterned jumpsuit you wouldn’t be petrified. Or would you?

Bast also known as Bastet, Ubasti, and Pasch, is the daughter and protector of Ra. Bast represents and is goddess of: cats, the home, fire, sunrise, music, dance, pleasure, fertility, family, pregnant woman, children, domesticity, wome n, and protection.

In Egypt if you killed a cat, you were punished. Cats were thought to be the physical form of Bast. They were important to the Egyptians because they killed snakes and other pests. They also slowed the speed of disease.

Bast is pictured in different ways: sometimes as a woman with the head of a cat, and other times a cat holding a knife fighting off Apep, her sworn enemy. One belief is that Bast is the personification of Isis.

For every god or goddess, they have one symbol or more that represents them. For Bast it’s a cat and lion. It was believed that she protected the house from evil spirits and diseases.

I hope you learnt something new about my favourite Egyptian goddess Bast!