Gayer-Anderson Cat, British Museum, London
The Gayer-Anderson Cat in the British Museum in central London is an ancient Egyptian statue of a cat in bronze with gold ornamentation. The statue depicts Bastet, an Egyptian goddess, usually represented by a cat-headed woman or simply a cat.
The statue depicts Bastet, an Egyptian goddess
History
The figure dates from around 600 BC and experts believe it comes from a temple. The collector Major Robert Grenville Gayer-Anderson donated the figure to the museum in 1939. His former home in Cairo is now the Gayer-Anderson Museum.
Only a very wealthy patron could have afforded to have had the statue made originally. Historians think that person may have been an Egyptian king or noble. The scarab beetle carved on the cat’s head symbolizes rebirth. There is a winged scarab on the cat’s chest as well.
The stone or glass that once filled the cat’s eyes is missing.
The statue is on display in the Egyptian sculpture gallery in Room 4 of the British Museum along with other pieces donated by Gayer-Anderson.
The figure has gold earrings and a gold nose ring
Access – Getting There
British Museum (britishmuseum.org)
Great Russell Street
London Borough of Camden
London
WC1B 3DG
Tel: 020 7323 8299
Hours: 10 am-5.30 pm daily; selected galleries until 8.30 pm Friday.
The nearest underground stations to the British Museum are Tottenham Court Road, Russell Square, and Holborn. Many London buses also pass near the British Museum including numbers #7, #8, #10, #14, #19, #24, #25, #29, #30, #38, #55, #68, #73, #134, #188. The nearest mainline stations are Euston and King’s Cross.
Accommodation
This part of London is a very popular place to stay for foreign visitors to the capital. Some recommended hotels are the Astor Court Hotel and also the Langham Court Hotel. Very close to the British Museum are the Charlotte Street Hotel as well as the luxury L’oscar London.
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