Mafdet

In early Egyptian mythology, Mafdet (also spelled Maftet) is depicted as a woman with the head of a cheetah. Her name means (she who) runs swiftly. She is present in the Egyptian pantheon as early as the First Dynasty. Mafdet was the deification of legal ustice, or rather, of e!ecution. "hus she was also associated with the protection of the #ing$s cham%ers and other sacred places, and with protection against &enomous animals, which were seen as transgressors against Ma$at. Since &enomous animals such as scorpions and sna#es are #illed %y felines, Mafdet was seen as a feline goddess, although it is uncertain whether alternately, she also was meant to %e a cat, a mongoose, or a leopard. In reflection of the manner in which these animals #ill sna#es and she was gi&en titles such as, slayer of serpents. In art, Mafdet was shown as a feline, a woman with a feline head, or a feline with the head of a woman, sometimes with %raided hair which ended in the tails of scorpions. 't times she was shown with a headdress of sna#es. She also was depicted as a feline running up the side of an e!ecutioner$s staff. It was said that Mafdet ripped out the hearts of wrong(doers, deli&ering them to the pharaoh$s feet, in a similar manner as domestic cats who present people with rodents or %irds that they ha&e #illed or maimed. During the )ew *ingdom, Mafdet was seen as ruling o&er the udgment hall in Duat where the enemies of the pharaoh were decapitated with Mafdet$s claw.

Her cult was e&entually replaced %y that of +ast, another cat(goddess, a lioness warrior who was seen as the pharaoh$s protector, %ut her cheetah imagery continued in association with the pharaohs including personal items and the %ed upon which their mummies were placed. Mafdet as the %ed upon which a mummy of

a pharaoh is %eing attended to %y 'nu%is

Mafdet: The Runner

Unlike many of the Egyptian deities, Mafdet was not a lion. She is usually depicted as a woman with the head of a cheetah and her name translates as (she who) runs swiftly. Some images show her looking more lynx like, so an alternate cat form may ha!e "een the #uick caracal. $s pro"a"ly the first Egyptian cat deitiy, dhe appears in the Egyptian pantheon as early as the %irst &ynasty. She predates "oth 'at and Sekhmet. Mafdet was the deification of legal (ustice, specifically execution of criminals. She was also associated with the protection of the king)s cham"ers and other sacred places, and with protection against !enomous creatures, which were seen as transgressors against Ma)at *truth+. ,ne of the things that endeared felines to the ancient Egyptians was that they killed !enomous scorpions and snakes. Mafdet, slayer of serpents, was depicted as a woman with a feline head, sometimes with "raided hair ending in the tails of scorpions. She was also shown with a headdress of snakes making her resem"le the gorgon Medusa$s the administrator of (ustice, Mafdet was depicted as running up the side of the executioner)s staff. *,n the staff image we found, Mafdet resem"les a ci!et or, perhaps, a mongoose.+ .ike a cat presenting her owner with a slain "ird, Mafdet would rip out the hearts of e!il doers and drop them at the pharaoh)s feet. Mafdet ruled the (udgement hall in &uat *Egyptian Underworld+ ./t was in this hall that the king0s enemies and re"els were executed with his harpoon, which closely resem"led a feline0s claw. This weapon was known as Mafdets claw. $lthough Mafdet was later replaced "y 'ast as the pharaoh)s protector, she continued to "e shown as a

cheetah on personal items for the royal family. E!en the "eds upon which the mummies were placed often "ore the cheetah image

The Goddess Mafdet (?)

This fragmentary relief was excavated in the debris over and around a tenlple of the Twenty-sixth Dynasty (6645 5 !"#"$" %owever& its precise date& nature& and sub'ect matter are uncertain" The female feline with lotus flower may be related to %athor or some other goddess& and the falcon heads below her are possibly celestial symbols"

(edium) *imestone +lace (ade) Mendes, Nile Delta Region, Egypt Dates) ,rd century !"#"-" +eriod) +tolemaic +eriod Dimensions) .. x .6 ./0 x , ,/4 in" ( 0 x 4. x 1"5 cm$ (show scale) #ollections)Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art (useum *ocation) This item is on view in Egypt Re orn! Art for Eternity, "#th Dynasty to Ro$an %eriod, Martha A& and Ro ert '& R( in Gallery, )rd *loor

Panther Base for a Statuette of Amenhotep II: Possibly representing the fierce goddess Mafdet, a protector of the dead, who killed the snakes and scorpions that may have hindered the deceaseds journey. The graceful form of this animal is a testament to the skill of ancient Egyptian sculptors. This panther was one of two found in the tomb of Amenhotep II