The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses , Devil and Demons
An Egyptian goddess, interpreted as a personification of ointment. At an early period she was visualized in the shape of a lion, and this led to her coalescence with the leonine → Sachmet. In line with the syncretism typical of Egyptian religion she was seen as the ‘eye of → Re’ and coupled with → Tefnut.
From the New Kingdom onwards, Bastet is increasingly represented as having the head of a cat. Memphitic tradition makes her the mother of the god of embalming → Anubis. The centre of her cult was Bubastis, and hence we find even classical authors calling her Bubastis.
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