Egyptian Temple of the Goddess, Bastet, Discovered

One of the most significant discoveries in the past couple centuries recently occurred under the streets of modern day Alexandria, Egypt. Egyptian archaeologists have apparently discovered the temple of the historical cat goddess, Bastet. Unearthed among hundreds of limestone statues, the temple is dated roughly to the 3^rd century BC. I have included links to the associated website, and a brief history below:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/01/photogalleries/100121-cat-temple-egypt-pictures/#025666_600x450.jpg

The excavated temple succeeds nearly 200 feet tall, and almost 50 feet wide. Though archaeologists assume that the discovery is merely a portion of the entire temple, the remainder has yet to be unearthed. The ruins also include a water supply source that measures 45+ feet in depth, the stone channels that carrying the flow, and remnants of an ancient bathing area.

In Egyptian mythology, Bastet was known as the cat goddess and local lioness war deity in the ancient town of Bubastis. The aforementioned statues were primarily depicting various forms of cats, etc. For those unfamiliar with Egyptian culture, cats were considered royalty. Their mere presence prevented vermin such as rats from contaminating and devouring the food supplies. Over 300,000 mummified cats were discovered in the associated National Geographic discovery. Over the course of time, Bastet became known as the divine mother, and protector of Lower Egypt. Cults were known to worship the divine, Bastet, which eventually provided for the recollections and recordings in history.

Other statues discovered among the ancient ruins included various depictions of children and objects of affection and joy. The cult recognized Bastet as the goddess of cats, a feline species known to nurse large litters of their young. The statues of children prove Bastet was also the goddess of motherhood. The bust of Harpocrates, the Greek God of silence, was also found among the ruins. Harpocrates, for those who do not know, is similarly represented as the Greek icon for the Egyptian, Horus.

National Geographic Daily News. Queen goddess cat temple found in Egypt (2010). Retrieved Jan 22, 2010 from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2010/01/photogalleries/100121-cat-temple-egypt-pictures/#025651_600x450.jpg