A temple dating back more than 2,000 years has been discovered by Egyptian archaeologists. It is thought that the Ptolemaic-era temple was once dedicated to the cat goddess Bastet.

It is suggested that the temple was under the care of Berenice, wife of 3rd century BC ruler Ptolemy III. The temple is in the very heart of the city of Alexandria; the city once at the centre of the dynasty created by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. Modern-day Alexandria is built directly on top of the historic Alexandria.

Bastet – also know as Ubasti – is an old solar and war goddess. Her followers began to fade from power as the lioness war deity Sekhmet rose to prominence. Her name means “devourer” but she was often seen as a fierce protector of Lower Egypt.

In Pure Spirit

Bastet has enjoyed a modern-day boom in interest – do you think this is just because she’s seen as a ‘cat goddess’ or do you think there’s something else about Bastet that keeps her popular today?