Pottery Cat

26 Nov, 2007 in art pottery by admin

Pottery Cat

The Historic Cat: Cherished and Honored for 9,500 Years

Cats are cherished as our companions and worshipped as idols. Used for pest control and good luck, cats are more than 9,500 years old. Today in the U.S. it has been estimated that there are more than 90 million domestic cats.

In an April 8, 2004 article in National Geographic magazine, archaeologists from France found the remains of a human and a cat buried in a 9,500-year-old grave site on Cyprus, a Mediterranean island.

People honor their beloved cats upon their passing, according to Peternity.com.com Founder Colleen Mihelich. Her company offers hand crafted, cremation pet urns, grave markers and engraved pet memorials for cat-lovers who have lost a beloved pet.

Cat domestication appears to be ancient. Many experts believe that the Egyptians tamed and bred felines to produce a distinct species by around the 20th century B.C.

Ancient Egyptians Cats were revered by ancient Egyptians more than in any culture in history. Because they were so respected, cats were often mummified and buried in tombs along with their human owners.Back then it was also considered a high crime to kill a cat, and it was punishable by death. Families that owned cats made shrue their felines were respected long after their death. The family would go through a period of grief after a pet cat died, and they even shaved their eyebrows to express grief. Cats were often mummified after they died and then entombed with fine jewelry and treasures; a custom that was often reserved for the most wealthy. Evidence also shows tombs with mummified rats and mice. All of this signals that the Egyptians believed in life after death.

Bast, the Egyptian Goddess with the body of a young woman and the head of a cat. (The Book of the Dead, 3000 B.C.)

In ancient times, the cat, or miw, which means "to see," was a sacred companion. Domesticated Egyptian cats were used for warding off rodents and even snakes. As time went by cats became more important to the Egyptians, and almost like a God. Cats were also represented in Egyptian mythology as the feline goddesses named Bastet, Sekhmet. In early times Bast, also written as 'Bastet' by the scribes, was a goddess that was shown as a woman with the head of a cat or lion.

In an April 8, 2004 article in National Geographic magazine, archaeologists from France found the remains of a human and a cat buried in a 9,500-year-old grave site on Cyprus, a Mediterranean island. Unearthed in 2001 in the Neolithic village of Shillourokambos, the mummified remains were found along with seashells, polished stones and offerings such as ochre and flint tools, axes, and other decorative artifacts. This predates the known early Egyptian art that depicted cats by more than 4,000 years.

An archaeologist named Jean-Denis Vigne at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France noted that when humans and cats are buried together it indicates a strong bond between the human and pet.

Other researchers have found hints that cats were domesticated even earlier than this, with experts who have found 10,000-year-old engravings and pottery depicting cats that actually date back as far as Neolithic period, or the late Stone Age, which also provides evidence that cats had a spiritual significance.

The world today is still fascinated with cats, and why pet memorials are growing in significance. Mihelich is always on the lookout for unique, handcrafted pieces of art to help her customers express their love, joy and memories.

About the Author

A professional writer based in Los Angeles, California, Kristin Gabriel works with Peternity.com, where people honor their pets for eternity. Peternity provides custom products including pet memorial stones and grave markers, pet urns, garden statue pet memorials, pet memorial headstones, pet keepsake memorials, pet portraits, burial boxes, or custom engraved glasswork. Call 877-PET-PEACE or go to http://www.peternity.com

Help I need to clean shag rug!?

I have this expensive shag rug from pottery barn, and my two cats have peed on it. I couldn't tell because the shag is so fluffy but when i moved it there pee had stained my wood floor.

I love this carpet, and don't want to throw it out. Does anyone know how I can clean a shag rug from cat pee? They only went in one area so its secluded to that one section.
(No I will not get rid of my cats)

Without knowing what the rug is made of, I'm not sure of what to tell you exactly. If you think you could wash it in the washing machine, try that. If your washer isn't big enough, maybe a triple load washer at the laundromat will work. If it's too big for the washer you could take it to the carwash and use the clips on the wall of the carwash stall to hang the rug on. Spray the rug with the soapy water, making sure to rinse well. Take it home (take some large trash bags with you to avoid getting your car soggy) and let it dry in the sun, perhaps over your fence.

Lucy and the Ceramic Cat Part 2