Since the most ancient times the people worshipped any given animals, being for them totems. Communication of people with fauna turned out so close that existed during different eras, passing from one generation into another. For example, so was in Ancient Egypt.
Instruction
1. In initial world order all available deities were identified at Egyptians with animals and represented only in their shapes. A bit later some gods began to be represented by Egyptians in zoomorfny forms i.e. as people animals (for example, with a body of a lion and the head of the person). It is curious that ancient Egyptians never identified animals with gods and did not consider as supreme forces. An exception it is possible to call only those cases when a certain animal was considered as "the embodiment of soul" of any given deity, for example, a black bull by the name of Mnevis having common features with a bull by the name of Apis.
2. Animals which were esteemed by ancient Egyptians were various: it both birds, and hoofed animals, and reptiles, and mammals, and even insects. For example, ancient people had cults of a bull, falcon, cat, kite, ibis, crocodile and even scarab beetle. Quite often happened and so that any specific sacred animal esteemed by some Egyptians was not honored others at all. In this case sacred animals could be killed that often involved hostility between inhabitants of any given areas and territories. By the way, on sacred birds the hunting was forbidden always, and on lions – is exclusive on the holidays concerning the goddess Bast esteemed by Egyptians.
3. The cult of sacred cows and bulls was connected with the fact that these animals helped people with agricultural works – on bulls plowed in the days and at the nights. These animals personified fertility and agriculture. Apis was the most esteemed bull. Egyptians believed that it impregnates Heavenly Korova who brings to the world of a gold calf – the Sun. Among a cult of mythical sacred birds Great Guoguotong and Vienna were the most esteemed. From real-life birds the falcon, a kite and an ibis were sacred. Egyptians worshipped crocodiles generally in Thebes and in Fayum (Libyan Desert). These reptiles represented god of the Nile waters – Sebeka. Egyptians considered that crocodiles can operate the floods of the rivers bringing fertile silt on their lands.
4. Cats were sacred animals everywhere and were honored ancient Egyptians everywhere, and in particular in Bubastis. Was considered that the kosha is a goddess Bast. Honoring of lions was based on power of goddesses lionesses and symbolized power of the Pharaoh and forces of the goddess Sokhmet. Pigs in Ancient Egypt were considered as dirty animals, being associated with Seth, but later they began to be compared to the sky. Some inhabitants esteemed also them. Honoring of hippopotamuses was connected with Taurt's cult, however this cult did not receive wide popularity. Jackals in Ancient Egypt were associated good luck Anubis, with the desert. The manure scarab beetle was considered as a sacred animal too. Its cult was connected with Hepri's cult. Egyptians believed that these bugs can samozarozhdatsya. Images of these insects served as the amulets protecting people from the evil and poisonous stings.
5. Despite the worship of animals, some of them had to be destroyed nevertheless. For example, in some territories of Ancient Egypt the inhabitants had to kill crocodiles. And to all sacred animals were fault: crocodiles got divorced very much that they began to pose a real threat for life of people and other sacred animals, for example, of bulls and cows. It is curious that Egyptians buried the died sacred animal with all honors: the animal was embalmed, kept within a sarcophagus and indulged in burial at temples. For example, the died cats were buried in special sacred tombs in Bubastis, bulls interred in that place where they also died, and dead cows were thrown in general into the Nile River.