Minoan cat stalks pheasant 16th-14th C. BCE

February 16, 2020

Minoan cat stalks pheasant 16th-14th C. BCE

"Although ancient Egyptians forbid the export of their beloved cats, determined smugglers stole the prized and worshiped animals to trade or sell. In an effort to reclaim the kidnapped beasts, the ancient Egyptians dispatched whole armies to repatriate them, and in some cases emissaries were even given the duty to buy them back (Jennison, 1937). Unfortunately, these efforts were not enough to keep the rare and worshiped cat confined to Egypt.

Taken aboard trader ships and sailed across the Mediterranean to Greece and Italy, whether by accident or as prized cargo, the first evidence of domestic cats in the Minoan civilization has been dated to around 1800-1700 BC."

-taken from thegreatcat link below