One of the British Museum's most famous and best-loved Egyptian artefacts is the Gayer-Anderson cat (registration no. EA 64392), possibly from Saqqara, that is dated to after 600BC.

42cm high and adorned with gold and silver jewellery, it is one of the finest examples of a copper alloy statue to survive from ancient Egypt, where metal was a precious commodity. It was acquired in 1934 by a retired British army officer living in Cairo, Major Robert Gayer-Anderson, eventually passing to the Museum in 1947 under the terms of his will. The statue has been on permanent display ever since. It was the focal point of an exhibition entitled The Divine Cat. Speaking to the Gods in Ancient Egypt from 8 November 2007 - 27 January 2008 and is now on view in the main Egyptian Sculpture Gallery, Room 4.

Cats were called miu in ancient Egyptian, a word that echoes the sound they make. Their popularity is evident from burial remains and tomb paintings, showing that cats were kept as pets. This cat was not a domestic pet, but the manifestation of one of the many Egyptian gods to take feline form, most probably Bastet. It would have been dedicated in a temple by a wealthy individual, perhaps even pharaoh, as a means of seeking favours from the gods. Many thousands of statues of gods were dedicated in this way during the first millennium BC, but few match the craftsmanship of this figure.

Scientific research carried out at the British Museum in 2007 revealed new information about the statue, the bronze casting technique and how Major Gayer-Anderson had repaired and modified the cat.

The TESS team were very knowledgeable and helpful. It was good to know a quick email or phone call could put us in touch with the TESS team who would help to sort out any queries or problems.

Hannah Phung,
Exhibitions Officer
Brent Museum