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| Louvre Museum Antiquities, Paris, by DG Hudson |
The carved tablets, the ivory-colored carved face mask or shard, and the finely carved or modelled statues of oxen illustrate artistic skill.
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Egyptian artifacts such as those shown in the photo below show the fascination other cultures have had for the feline species. The earliest appearance of cats as deities is around 3100 BC. The goddess Bastet* was originally depicted as a lioness, as was Sekhmet.* Bastet later was shown with a cat face, while Sekhmet stayed a lioness.
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| Egyptian Antiquities, Louvre Museum, Paris by DG Hudson |
Praised for controlling vermin (rats, etc) and the ability to kill cobras and other snakes, domesticated cats became a symbol that was worshipped in Ancient Egypt. Felines have been around a long time, possibly 10,000 years according to recent DNA tests.
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Turquoise and Lapis lazuli were preferred for use in many of the ancient designs. We can glimpse antiquity, a time far removed from today, when we view these art works. Here is evidence that it existed. Cast pieces and carved pieces have survived due in part to the protection of the museums and galleries where they are shown.
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| Antiquities, Louvre Museum, Paris, by DG Hudson |
Antiquities items in the following image show detail in the crafting of the pipe and the smoothness of the metal, both achieved with the same finesse as the ceramic artifacts. The cast figures are quite detailed in both the displays, above and below.
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| Egyptian Antiquity artifacts, Louvre in Paris, by DG Hudson |
Museums collect and protect our history. If you are a writer, you should frequent any location that gives you information on 'what was'. To write 'what may come to be' (scifi) or to write 'what has already been' (historical), you must know your beginnings. Of course, that's my take on museums and how they relate to writing.
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Were these small artifacts created for nobility only? Did they come from a household or from a tomb? What history hides behind these artifacts? Have you watched Museum Secrets?
http://museumsecrets.tv/episode.php?ep=2
Museum Secrets: The Louvre
Please share your thoughts in the comments and thanks for stopping by!
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References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Louvre#Egyptian_antiquities
Egyptian antiquities at the Louvre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cats_in_ancient_Egypt
Cats in Egypt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastet
Bastet, the Cat Goddess in ancient Egyptian religion in Lower Egypt
* Bastet was the equivalent to Upper Egypt's Sekhmet, before the two regions joined forces.
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