Randi
11-02-2002, 10:22 AM
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid37/pbc52aedcab7a519d3397ce3953bf0132/fd1792f1.jpg
The domestication of cats by humans presumably goes back at least 8000 years, but we don’t know much about their relationship before the times of the first Egyptian civilisations about 4000 BC. These cats were probably attracted by the mice and rats that filled the Egyptian grain stores. The Egytians were very appreciative of the cats help with vermin control, and gave them a central place in their culture. Cats were considered as gods, and killing a cat was punishable by death! The male cat was depicted as sacred to the sun god Ra and the female cat to the fertility godess Bast. Not only were they carefully looked after during life, the cadavers were also mummified and preserved in special cemetries. When a house cat died, the family and servants shaved their eyebrows and went into mourning. The death of a temple cat would be mourned by the whole city.
The way cats act nowadays, I don’t think they have ever forgotten this!
There are some interesting tales concerning these times. Among others a story that Persians strapped cats to their shields and went to do battle with the Egyptians, believing that the Egyptians wouldn’t fight through fear of killing the cats, and would thereby be defeated. (I find that rather doubtfull, can you imagine trying to strap a cat to anything?)
But to get to the point.
Since cats were revered and worshipped as gods, it has been suggested that in order to imitate these godly beings, women began to use eyeliner in imitation of the cats mysterious, regal eyes. Presumably in order to attract attention and respect from their spouses!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid37/p5b2bd337689d8b70eaf4c437f7c77eb4/fd1792ef.jpg
What do you think, have your cats got there eye make up on today?
Any pictures of classic cat eyeliner?
john
The domestication of cats by humans presumably goes back at least 8000 years, but we don’t know much about their relationship before the times of the first Egyptian civilisations about 4000 BC. These cats were probably attracted by the mice and rats that filled the Egyptian grain stores. The Egytians were very appreciative of the cats help with vermin control, and gave them a central place in their culture. Cats were considered as gods, and killing a cat was punishable by death! The male cat was depicted as sacred to the sun god Ra and the female cat to the fertility godess Bast. Not only were they carefully looked after during life, the cadavers were also mummified and preserved in special cemetries. When a house cat died, the family and servants shaved their eyebrows and went into mourning. The death of a temple cat would be mourned by the whole city.
The way cats act nowadays, I don’t think they have ever forgotten this!
There are some interesting tales concerning these times. Among others a story that Persians strapped cats to their shields and went to do battle with the Egyptians, believing that the Egyptians wouldn’t fight through fear of killing the cats, and would thereby be defeated. (I find that rather doubtfull, can you imagine trying to strap a cat to anything?)
But to get to the point.
Since cats were revered and worshipped as gods, it has been suggested that in order to imitate these godly beings, women began to use eyeliner in imitation of the cats mysterious, regal eyes. Presumably in order to attract attention and respect from their spouses!
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid37/p5b2bd337689d8b70eaf4c437f7c77eb4/fd1792ef.jpg
What do you think, have your cats got there eye make up on today?
Any pictures of classic cat eyeliner?
john