Revered Animals In Ancient Egypt

The goddess Bastet had the head of this animal. Pet animals protected the house against grain-eating mice. When they died they were mummified and buried in special (and huge) cemeteries.

This wading bird has a long curved bill. Mummified birds were offered to Thoth, a god of wisdom and study (he has a head like theirs). Demand was so high that farms were set up.

The god Ammon was often depicted with the spiralling horns of this creature (his name is the derivation of the fossil 'ammonite'). The answer is specifically the adult male of the species.

This creature rolls dung into a ball and rolls it away for its larvae to eat. Its god equivalent rolled the sun across the sky, and carried it through the otherworld after sunset.

This is a huge and aggressive reptile that lives in the Nile. The deity Sobek is depicted with its head, and was called upon for protection against all the river's dangers.

This is another feared large animal of the river. Tauret, a goddess of fertility, looked like a pregnant example of one: mothers of this mammal species are fiercely protective of their young.

Tutankhamun's mask features one of these reptilian creatures, indicating the protection of the goddess Wadjet. It is a venomous snake with a hooded head.

Anubis had the head of this canine (probably the African golden wolf, but with another popular name). He weighed your heart to see if you should be allowed in the realm of the dead.

This bird of prey was associated with Horus, who was depicted with its head. He personified the sky.

Pharaohs and priests weren't allowed to eat these aquatic creatures because they'd apparently eaten Osiris when his brother chopped him up.