The Ancient Egyptians revered cats, not just as pets, but as divine protectors and representations of the goddess Bastet. Yet, perhaps the most charming detail about their relationship with felines is the very word they used to name them: miu (or miut for a female cat).
This single word is a beautiful example of onomatopoeia—a word that imitates the natural sound it describes.
The Sound of Divinity
Imagine an Egyptian farmhouse, thousands of years ago. A small African wildcat, the ancestor of our modern domestic cat, patrols the granaries.
What did the people hear? A gentle "meow." And so, the word miu became the standard term.
This choice of name shows a delightful intimacy. The sophisticated world of hieroglyphs, pharaohs, and grand temples adopted the most basic, universal sound of the creature.
More Than Just a Name
A Family Name: While the general term was miu, many Egyptians did not give their cats individual names. Instead, they were all simply called "Miu." However, some famous exceptions exist, such as the cat belonging to Prince Thutmose, who was named Nedjem ("Sweetie").
A Determinative: When writing the word miu in hieroglyphs, the scribes would often place a picture of a cat at the end.
This symbol, called a determinative, wasn't pronounced, but it served as a visual cue to confirm that the word being sounded out meant "cat" and not something else that might sound similar.
The Great Tomcat: Even the Sun God Ra was associated with the feline sound. In certain texts, Ra takes the form of a great cat named Mau to fight the serpent of chaos, Apep, ensuring the sun would rise again.
The simple word miu bridges the gap between ancient and modern, reminding us that the sound of a cat demanding attention has been the same for over 4,000 years. Your cat, when it calls to you today, might just be speaking a little bit of Ancient Egyptian.
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