Votive statuette representing the goddess Bastet in her feline form. She is seated on her haunches, with her tail curled around on the right side. Her front paws are joined and stretched forward, emphasizing her prominent shoulders, and her head with perked ears and formerly inlaid eyes gives her an alert expression. The cat was sacred to Bastet, the goddess of motherhood and the home. Her centers of worship, called Bubasteion, became significant during the 22nd Dynasty and were numerous throughout Egypt. The main center was located in the Nile Delta region, in the modern city of Tell Basta, known as Per-Bastet in ancient Egypt. Mummified cats, as well as wooden or bronze statues like the current example, were dedicated to her and buried in her temples, serving as votives for the deity.