Sacred Felines: History of the Cat Part 2

あなたが昨日学んだように、猫の歴史は多面的で複雑なテーマです。科学に関する限り、猫の家畜化の初期の兆候は、農業社会の到来とともに古代ギリシャで始まった。後で猫の歴史の中で、古代エジプト人はそれらを神として崇拝し始め、猫の歴史の中で初めて、猫は王室の治療法を味わいました。

This history of the cat's worship began as a totemic practice, (the worship of an animal as a spiritual symbol) but was later further organized with the cat holding a legitimate spot in the Egyptian pantheon. There were three cat goddesses of note: Mafdet, Bast, and Sehkmet. Mafdet was the goddess of Justice. Bast began as a lion goddess but eventually became more cat-like as her role was marginalized. She was the protective patron deity of Lower Egypt, as well as a handmaiden and protector of the sun god, Ra. Sehkmet also began as a lioness, but ended up becoming more cat-like over time. She replaced Bast as the protector of Ra and the pharaohs.

紀元390年頃、猫を崇拝する古代エジプトの主な宗教が解散され、子猫 began to lose their significance, although their influence never completely fizzled out. Because of their awesome hunting skills, cats have always been valued residents of whatever culture and time period they happen to inhabit. Cat history is filled with owners thankful to be pest-free. The history of the cat isn't limited to a single location though. They are valued companions all over the globe. During the Song Dynasty in China around a thousand years ago, cats were treated as the favored pets among nobility. They went so far as to advertise and sell fish exclusively for cat feeding in the ancient Chinese markets. In much of Europe and the United States, cats enjoyed a more infamous sort of notoriety. They became associated with witches as familiars and servants of the devil.

This superstition persists in culture even today, as people will always assume a black cat crossing their path is an ill omen. Myths even include stories of cats sadistically smothering infant children by stealing all of the air from their noses. The crazy thing about that one is it may actually be rooted in reality. Cats have been known to lie on top of infant children for warmth, in some cases suffocating the child. However, in the United Kingdom it is considered good luck for a black cat to enter a home or climb aboard a ship. It seems human beings are often as ambivalent toward cats as they are towards us.

猫の歴史は豊富で多様な研究対象であることは明白です。これらの2つのブログ記事を通じて私たちは好きな猫を取り巻く多くの物語や民俗舞踊の表面を傷つけることはほとんどありませんでした。 1つのことは確かです。それが悪い報道であろうと優遇であろうと、これらのネコとの複雑な関係はすぐに終わらない。