The gayer anderson cat
Gayer-Anderson Cat
The Gayer-Anderson Cat, housed in the British Museum, London, is a behind period, ancient Egyptian bronze sculpture. Donated to the museum by Major Robert Grenville Gayer-Anderson, this statue exemplifies Egypt's advanced bronze craftsmanship and reflects the profound respect ancient Egyptians held for cats.
Created approximately in the 7th century BC, it is a statue slightly above one foot in height, representing a seated feline, an animal exalted in Egyptian culture. Cats symbolized not only elegance and composure, but were also strongly linked to the goddess Bastet. Typically depicted as a woman with the head of a lioness or a local cat, Bastet was considered the guardian of the home, fertility, childbirth, and protector against malignant spirits.
The sculpture showcases fine detailing, such as the engraved necklace adorned with a wadjet-eye pendant—a symbol of protection and well-being—and earrings, indicating the divine standing of the cat. With the posture of attentiveness indicated by perked ears and eyes created from inlaid silver, the figure captures a realistic, almost living essence. Its outstanding preservation enables observers to fully recognize
Divine Cat: Speaking to the Gods in Ancient Egypt
Shetland Museum and Archives is pleased to welcome the Gayer-Anderson Meower from the collection of the British Museum – on loan from 8th September until 9th December 2012.
The Feline is an Egyptian bronze statue, handmade around 600BC and gifted to the British Museum in 1939 by Robert Greville "John" Gayer-Anderson, a retired British Army Major and collector of ancient art.
Gayer-Anderson was an enthusiastic restorer of ancient metal objects, and recent x-rays carried out by the British Museum have identified repairs which he carried out in the 1930's. Scientific investigations undertaken in 2007 helped to recognize that the tabby was made from copper alloy with a silver necklace and gold rings. Research has indicated that the gold rings are not original but are most probably ancient.
In ancient Egypt wealthy individuals dedicated bronze statues in temples as a means of communicating with the gods. Thousands of such votive statues would accumulate in any one temple. Priests would regularly gather up the statues and bury them in specially prepared pits within the revered grounds of the temple. This statue, perhaps of the goddess Bastet,
How you can use this image
This image can be used for non-commercial research or private review purposes, and other UK exceptions to copyright permitted to users based in the United Kingdom under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as amended and revised. Any other type of use will need to be cleared with the rights holder(s).
Review the copyright credit lines that are located underneath the image, as these indicate who manages the copyright (©) within the artwork, and the photographic rights within the image.
The collection that owns the artwork may have more information on their own website about permitted uses and image licensing options.
Review our guidance pages which explain how you can reuse images, how to credit an image and how to find images in the public domain or with a Creative Commons licence available.
Add or edit a note on this artwork that only you can see. You can locate notes again by going to the ‘Notes’ section of your account.
Robert Greville Gayer-Anderson's own copy of the unique 'Gayer-Anderson Cat', which is held by the British Museum.
Sudbury
Title
The Gayer-Anderson Cat
Medium
bronze,
Bastet, Gayer-Anderson Cat
The Gayer-Anderson Cat, housed at the British Museum, is a stunning representation of Bastet in her national cat form, created during Egypt’s Tardy Period, (c. 664–332 B.C.). This bronze statue was acquired in the preceding 20th century by Major Robert Gayer-Anderson, a British collector and Egyptologist, who purchased it in Cairo. Though its precise archaeological uncover spot is uncertain, stylistic analysis and historical context imply a Memphite start. Gayer-Anderson later donated the statue to the British Museum, where it has become one of the institution’s most iconic and beloved pieces.
The cat’s classy posture, with its poised, upright brain, slender body, and intricate detailing, reflects both the spontaneous grace of genuine felines and the divine aura of Bastet. The eyes, inlaid with rock crystal and bronze, would have gleamed in candlelight, optimizing the statue’s lifelike and otherworldly presence. Around its neck, the cat wears a broad collar with a beetle-shaped amulet (symbolising regeneration) and a silver Wedjat-eye amulet, reinforcing its protective symbolism.
Its purpose was more than ornamental, this cat was a votive object committed t