In ancient Egypt, the cat was a sacred animal, and killing cats was strictly forbidden. Do you know the punishment for killing a cat in ancient Egypt?
Cats have been a little psychic animals since ancient times, and they are not like dogs, giving people a sense of loyalty and docileness. The cat occasionally has a little temper of its own, if it is in a bad mood, then the person who wants to touch it has to be careful, and if he is not careful, he may be scratched by the cat.
However, even so, there are still many people who are very fond of keeping cats. According to statistics, as of March 2022, there are 370 million pet cats in the world, with an average of one pet cat per 20 people.
In fact, in ancient times, the ancient Egyptians were especially known for their love of cats. Many cats are mummified after death, and in March 2021, a pet cemetery was discovered near the Red Sea. Dating back about 2,000 years, the site was the last resting place for many cats and other animals, and most of the cats' remains were carefully buried, some wrapped in blankets or others covered with plates. They seem to be as revered and loved by the ancient Egyptians after death as they were before they were.
A cat that is made into a mummy
The ancient Egyptians valued cats so much because they believed that cats were closely related to the gods. Legend has it that the goddess Buster appeared in the form of a cat, and many cats were mummified in honor of Buster.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the killing of a cat in ancient Egypt, whether intentionally or unintentionally, would be sentenced to a heavy sentence. We all know that ancient Egypt was known for treating criminals harshly, especially tomb robbers.
According to the Encyclopedia of World History, the ancient Egyptians punished tomb robbers with cutting off their hands, cutting off their noses, and even directly stabbing them (an ancient form of torture in which a prisoner's body was pierced to the ground with a wooden stick). Stabbing often uses a long wooden stick that is inserted into specific parts of the human body, such as rectum, mouth, etc., but will avoid inserting important organs of the tortured person to avoid immediate death. Such an approach would result in the victim dying after suffering, sometimes for several days. or at the stake.
So, what punishment was imposed for killing a cat in ancient Egypt? The answer is the death penalty. But there are sometimes exceptions, when the number of cats became too large, and the ancient Egyptians had to be forced to kill some of the cats. But even if this happens, these cats will be revered after death and mummified.
Because the ancient Egyptians believed that the death of the cat did not mean the end, and its soul would continue to accompany its owner forever.