DOI Artikel:
Nazoyan, Angelika: Figurine of bastet from the National Museum in Warsaw
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18950#0084
However, the example in Warsaw is unusual because of the pose and the
positioning of the feet. It was very rare for a female deity to be depicted in
mid-stride, particularly in such smali works. Although her legs unfortunately
bear the marks of repair (the right leg was broken at the hem of the robę, the
left leg had a broken foot), we can be certain that the goddess is striding
forward.
There are several examples of this type of figurę of the goddess Bastet,4 but
they are usually far larger. Why was Bastet sometimes captured in this
particular pose? It is possible that this type of statuette was madę for a special
religious occasion. Most figurines were madę as offerings to the deity
concerned, but others could be merely souvenirs purchased at the tempie of a
particular god. In the case of this piece, knowing nothing of its origin place, it
is impossible to determine whether it was an offering or a souvenir. Maybe
this representation is connected with the Bastet festival, which was celebrated
in and beyond Bubastis, the centre of her cult.
3 For example one from the Pelizaeus-Museum in Hildesheim, inv. no. 344, cf H. Kayser, Das
Pelizaeus-Museum in Hildesheim, Hamburg 1966, pp. 16, 32; and one from the collection of
the University of Tiibingen, inv. no. 122, cf E. Brunner-Traut, H. Brunner, Die Agyptische
Sammlung der Universitdt Tiibingen, Mainz 1981, p. 61, Tafel 130.
4 Example in the Walters Art Gallery, inv. no. 595, cf. G. Steindorff, Catalogue of Egyptian
Sculpture in the 'Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore 1946, p. 139, pl. XCI; one other from the
British Museum, inv. no. 11031, cf J. Małek, The Cat in Ancient Egypt, London 1997, p. 105.
82
positioning of the feet. It was very rare for a female deity to be depicted in
mid-stride, particularly in such smali works. Although her legs unfortunately
bear the marks of repair (the right leg was broken at the hem of the robę, the
left leg had a broken foot), we can be certain that the goddess is striding
forward.
There are several examples of this type of figurę of the goddess Bastet,4 but
they are usually far larger. Why was Bastet sometimes captured in this
particular pose? It is possible that this type of statuette was madę for a special
religious occasion. Most figurines were madę as offerings to the deity
concerned, but others could be merely souvenirs purchased at the tempie of a
particular god. In the case of this piece, knowing nothing of its origin place, it
is impossible to determine whether it was an offering or a souvenir. Maybe
this representation is connected with the Bastet festival, which was celebrated
in and beyond Bubastis, the centre of her cult.
3 For example one from the Pelizaeus-Museum in Hildesheim, inv. no. 344, cf H. Kayser, Das
Pelizaeus-Museum in Hildesheim, Hamburg 1966, pp. 16, 32; and one from the collection of
the University of Tiibingen, inv. no. 122, cf E. Brunner-Traut, H. Brunner, Die Agyptische
Sammlung der Universitdt Tiibingen, Mainz 1981, p. 61, Tafel 130.
4 Example in the Walters Art Gallery, inv. no. 595, cf. G. Steindorff, Catalogue of Egyptian
Sculpture in the 'Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore 1946, p. 139, pl. XCI; one other from the
British Museum, inv. no. 11031, cf J. Małek, The Cat in Ancient Egypt, London 1997, p. 105.
82