Bastet

Late Period (664 – 332)

Although other goddesses also sometimes manifested themselves as cats, Bastet is seen as the principal cat goddess. In the complex Egyptian pantheon, Osiris and Isis’ daughter formed a trinity with Hathor and the vengeful Sekhmet, both negatives to Bastet’s positive. Bastet was attributed to have the power to invoke solar and lunar eclipses. She was associated with fertility through the cycles of the moon. Celebrations in her honour were so ecstatic that she was also worshipped as the goddess of song, dance and music.