Among the key objects of the Ramses II exhibition in Paris, animal mummies intrigue visitors… They actually reveal the love of the Egyptians for their four-legged companions.
This amazing mummy surprises visitors to the “Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs” exhibition installed in Paris since April 6, 2023. Yes, it is indeed a mummy dating from ancient Egypt and the time of the mythical pharaoh. You have no doubt seen the amazing images of the arrival in France of the magnificent coffin of Ramses II, a unique piece which was escorted by the Republican Guard and security forces worthy of a visit by a Head of State! But the treasures unveiled do not stop there…
The exhibition also reveals unexpected and fascinating finds, including animal mummies. And not just any: mummies of cats, considered sacred by the Egyptians of the time. Some of them were discovered in Saqqara less than 10 years ago, and this is the first time they have left Egypt to be displayed to the general public.
This exhibition is a unique opportunity to unlock the secrets of the mystical relationship between Egyptians and wildlife, considered a direct interface with the gods. The cat was already the object of divine representations like other animals including the famous falcon. Researchers have now become convinced that animals were mummified to be offered as offerings to the gods, a sign of their importance in ancient Egyptian culture.
“When the house is on fire, only the cats count”
Among them, the cat had a special place. Considered a true member of the family, revered for its role in hunting rodents and thus seen as the one capable of protecting crops, the cat was particularly respected and revered by all classes of the Egyptian population. Witness the story of the Greek Herodotus, saying that “when the house is on fire, no one puts out the fire, only the cats count”.
But the centerpiece of this exhibit is unquestionably a large wooden and gold statue of a cat, which was used to hold the remains of a cat mummy. A true work of art of exceptional richness and which testifies to the grandeur of ancient Egypt.
These unique animal mummies as well as the legacy of Ramses II, one of the greatest pharaohs in history, are to be discovered until September 6, 2023 in Paris, Halle de la Villette.