Egyptian Cat Tea Towel

Exclusive to the British Museum, a tea towel featuring an ancient Egyptian cat design.

This striking tea towel is made from 100% cotton, and is machine washable.

Sacred to the ancient Egyptians, cats were particularly important to the goddess Bast (Bastet). She was often depicted as having the body of a woman and the head of a cat. Bastet was so highly regarded by the Egyptians that she became a household goddess, as the protector of women, children and domestic cats. She was also the goddess of sunrise, music, dance and pleasure, as well as family, fertility and birth.

The hieroglyphs silhouetted against the teal background have been taken from the limestone false door of the High Priest Ptahshepses, which is now housed in the British Museum. In the Old Kingdom, false doors were a standard feature of tombs in the Memphite region, acting as an interface between the worlds of the living and the afterlife. The façade of the false door is covered with good wishes for the afterlife.

An enchanting gift for a cat lover.