Ancient
Egyptians valued animals and insects in a way that seems very alien to us
today.
In
modern day Egypt, animals are given very little attention and even less social
importance. This hasn’t always been the case as ancient Egyptians rooted their
understanding of the creation of the universe in the natural elements (earth,
air, water fire) and observable wildlife.
It
is widely thought that ancient Egyptians worshiped animals, but this is largely
a misconception. They looked to their surroundings to learn about divine laws,
and it was believed that animals held the godly knowledge they needed to lead
successful lives. This is why we see the gods depicted in animal forms.
Ancient
Egyptians valued animals and insects in a way that seems very alien to us today. Their deep respect and appreciation for all
creatures, even ones that could threaten their safety, is a reflection of how
holistically they saw the world around them.
Of
course, we've all heard of cats, jackals and falcons in ancient Egyptian
mythology and daily life, but have you heard of these 5 other animals?
1.
The Fly
It
is likely that the fly was seen with as much disdain as we have for it today.
After all, it spreads disease, hovers annoyingly and is generally a source of
disturbance. But, ancient Egyptians were able to see past these traits and
recognize the fly's persistence and courage.
Kings
awarded golden fly amulets in the New Kingdom to distinguished people as part
of the Order of Valor.
This golden fly amulet was given in recognition of
fierce persistence and bravery in the face of enemies. Think about that next
time you swat a fly!
2.
The Cow
Like
the Hindus, ancient Egyptians recognized divinity in cows. The cow goddess,
Hathor – a name that roughly translates to “House of Horus” – is associated
with feminine love and motherhood.
When
Hathor is not depicted as a cow-headed woman, she is frequently shown in
cow-form standing protectively over the king, or suckling an infant king from
her udder.
She is the mothering force guarding Horus and each of his earthly
manifestations.
3.
The Scarab
The
dung beetle or scarab, is an image we associate regularly with ancient Egyptian
culture, but what does it actually signify?
The
dung beetle would find a ball of dung, lay its eggs inside it, push it around
with its hind legs until it grew to be several times its size. It would then
find an appropriate area to bury the dung. From the depths of the earth, baby
dung beetles would emerge.
This
process caught the ancient Egyptians’ eye. The dung beetle was linked with the
heavenly process of rebirth and regeneration and so became the representation
of Khepri (the solar god) on earth. The
sun would be rolled across the sky every morning by Khepri, and buried every
night, only to appear again the next morning.
4.
The Baboon
Thoth,
god of the moon and writing, is presented in relation to two animals, the ibis
bird and the baboon. While
the curvature of the ibis’ beak resembles the lunar crescent, its movement
while searching for food in the ground mimics that of a pen writing.
The baboon
was deified because of its human-like appearance and intelligence. It is often
shown in texts directing the tasks of scribes and with the moon disk on its
head.
Interestingly,
the baboon was also considered to be a supporter of the sun god Ra. This is
because of the baboon's barking at the rising sun in what appeared to the
ancient Egyptians as an act of worship.
5.
The Goose
It's
possible that the early morning squawks of geese helped establish their place
in ancient Egyptian creation stories.
It
is said that Amun (the hidden creator god) was incarnated as the original
goose, the Great Shrieker (or the Great Honker), whose squawk was the first
sound in creation.
The Great Shrieker
lays the world as an egg in another version of the story.
