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Egypt was one of the earliest advanced civilizations on Earth, emerging at the dawn of history, in a time drastically different from our modern world.
A striking difference in their society was their gods, who were depicted with animal heads. This may seem like a small detail, but it deeply influenced the way the Egyptians lived, fostering a profound respect for animals that led to some truly peculiar and often overlooked moments in history.
10. They Gave a Bull Its Own Harem
For much of Egypt’s history, there was always one fortunate bull treated as a deity. This bull was known as “Apis,” an earthly embodiment of a divine creature. They selected it based on what they believed were sacred markings, brought it to the temple, and provided it with a life of luxury that humans could only dream of.
The bull lived an extraordinary life. He was granted a harem of cow concubines and feasted on a diet of cakes and honey. The Egyptians celebrated his birthday with grand parties and allowed him to choose their oracles. They even performed sacrifices in his honor, presenting oxen and cows before him and slaughtering them as tribute—a gesture that may have seemed somewhat contradictory.
Human women were not allowed to touch the sacred bull—except during a special fourth-month period when it was brought to the city of Nicopolis. There, the women would expose their bodies in front of the animal. Since it was a bull, the Egyptians believed that it would appreciate the sight of a woman’s breasts.
Upon the bull’s death, it was given a royal burial. A new bull would then be chosen, and the entire cycle would begin anew.
9. The Egyptians Tamed Hyenas as Pets
Long before dogs and cats became household companions, humans experimented with taming all kinds of unusual animals. Over 5,000 years ago, the Egyptians chose one of the most unexpected creatures to domesticate: hyenas.
Evidence from the tombs of pharaohs suggests that by 2800 BC, hyenas were used much like hunting dogs. Powerful Egyptian rulers would hunt animals with a mixed pack of dogs and hyenas working side by side.
However, they weren’t particularly sentimental about their hyena pets. While these animals enjoyed a domestic lifestyle, their owners were fattening them up for a meal. Once a hyena reached a suitable size, it was killed, stuffed with food and spices, and fried up for a feast.
Hyenas didn’t seem to work out as household pets. After a few generations, the Egyptians gave up on keeping wild, cackling creatures in their homes. For reasons that make sense, it was cats and dogs that became the favored companions.
8. The First Pharaoh of a Unified Egypt Was Killed by a Hippopotamus
King Menes was the first Pharaoh to rule over both Upper and Lower Egypt. He lived around 3000 BC and became one of the most legendary figures in Egyptian history. He united the nations, ruled them for 60 years, and then met his end when he was dragged off and killed by a hippopotamus.
There aren’t really any further details on this tale. The Egyptian historian Manetho simply recorded, “Menes was the first king. He was snatched and killed by a hippopotamus.” and left it at that, as if he couldn’t imagine anyone having any questions about how, exactly, that unfolded.
Since this event occurred 5,000 years ago, it’s possible it’s just a myth—but that makes it even stranger. Menes was a hero in Egyptian culture. If the story isn’t true, that means the Egyptians saw being dragged away and killed by a hippo as a fitting end for the greatest of kings.
7. Mongooses Were Revered as Sacred Animals
To the Egyptians, mongooses were among the most revered creatures. They had witnessed mongooses killing cobras, which left them in awe. In their admiration, they crafted bronze statues of mongooses and wore mongoose-shaped amulets for protection.
People also kept mongooses as pets. Some Egyptians were even buried with the mummified remains of their pet mongoose. The mongooses even made their way into Egyptian mythology. According to one tale, the god Ra would transform into a mongoose to battle evil forces.
The most outrageous story, however, was one the Egyptians insisted was true. They claimed that a legendary mongoose was seen climbing into the open mouth of a sleeping crocodile. The small creature crawled into the crocodile’s belly and then ate its way out.
6. Killing a Cat Was a Crime Punishable by Death
In ancient Egypt, killing a cat was punishable by death. This wasn’t simply a law against cruelty or malicious cat killings—if you accidentally ran over a cat with your chariot, you would face execution.
There were no exceptions to this rule. The historian Diodorus Siculus recounted how the Egyptian king tried to intervene to save a Roman man who had unintentionally killed a cat. However, the people showed no mercy, even if it meant provoking war with Rome. They formed a mob, lynched the man, and left his lifeless body in the streets.
The Egyptians' deep affection for cats would come back to haunt them in 525 BC when Persia invaded. The Persians mocked the Egyptians by painting an image of an Egyptian cat goddess on their shields and marching behind a procession of dogs, sheep, cats, and, in their words, “whatever other animals the Egyptians hold dear.”
The Egyptians were so terrified of accidentally harming the cats that they would surrender to protect them. Unfortunately, the cats didn't fare well in the end. After the war was over, the Persian king reportedly went around Egypt tossing cats in people's faces.
5. When A Cat Passed Away, Families Would Mourn
The death of a cat was seen as a devastating loss. Losing a pet cat was treated almost as if one had lost a spouse. The entire family would go into mourning, which in Egypt, meant they had to shave their eyebrows as a sign of grief.
After a cat passed away, its body would be gently wrapped in fine linens and taken to an embalming site. There, its small form would be treated with aromatic cedar oil and spices to create a pleasant fragrance. It would then be mummified and placed in a tomb, along with offerings of milk, mice, and rats to accompany it into the afterlife.
These cat tombs were massive in scale. In one such tomb, 80,000 carefully embalmed cats were discovered, each one tended to with great reverence before being laid to rest.
4. They Went Hunting with Trained Cheetahs
Big cats, such as lions, were hunted in Egypt, but their concept of “big” might seem a bit unusual to us. For the Egyptians, a cheetah was considered a “smaller cat,” and was viewed as docile enough to be kept as a pet around the house.
While not every Egyptian household would have a cheetah as a pet, some pharaohs did. Ramses II, for example, filled his palace with tame lions and cheetahs. And he wasn’t the only one—ancient tomb paintings depict Egyptian rulers hunting alongside their tame cheetahs.
3. Two Pharaohs Fought Over A Pet Hippo
One of Egypt's most notable wars began over the pet hippopotamuses of Pharaoh Seqenenre Tao II. This ruler adored his hippos, keeping a private pool for them to swim and play in. His love for these creatures was so intense that he was willing to die for them—something he did in the end.
At the time, Egypt was divided into regions, with the powerful Hyksos kingdom under Pharaoh Apopi. Seqenenre, a lesser king, was required to pay tribute to Apopi. Though he could tolerate living under the rule of a more dominant king, the situation took a turn when Apopi ordered him to get rid of his beloved hippos.
Apopi sent a message to Seqenenre complaining about the noise of his hippos, saying they kept him from sleeping. Since Apopi lived 750 kilometers away, it seemed like nothing more than a petty insult. But Seqenenre refused to tolerate such disrespect for his beloved hippos, declaring it as grounds for war.
Seqenenre led his army into battle against Apopi, fighting to defend his right to keep his hippos. He even died in battle for the cause. But the conflict didn’t end with him—his son continued the fight. Two generations of Egyptian rulers fought for the hippo pool, and eventually, they succeeded. By the war's conclusion, Egypt was unified once again, all thanks to one man's deep love for his hippos.
2. They Believed Scarabs Were Magically Born From Dung
You’ve likely seen Egyptians sporting those small scarab amulets. These were very real, and just as common as depicted in movies. People from all walks of life, rich or poor, wore them. The ancient Egyptians believed that scarabs held magical powers, though movies often skip the reason behind this belief.
Scarab beetles are known for rolling dung into balls and burying them in the ground. The female scarabs would lay their eggs inside the dung, from which the larvae would emerge. Egyptians witnessed much of this behavior but didn’t understand the egg-laying part. They mistakenly believed scarabs didn’t have mothers and that they just magically appeared from the dung.
The Egyptians also thought the Sun was a giant version of the dung balls being pushed by a colossal scarab god. However, they didn’t think the Sun itself was a large ball of dung—this was simply based on their observation of the beetles' actions, not an understanding of the true nature of the dung.
It’s even grosser than it sounds. The Egyptians believed the scarabs were rolling balls of their own sperm.
1. They Had A City For Sacred Crocodiles
In Egypt, there was a city named Crocodilopolis, a holy hub dedicated to the worship of Sobek, the crocodile god. This city housed a sacred crocodile named Suchus, and people traveled from all corners of Egypt to visit and pay homage to it.
Suchus, the crocodile, was adorned with gold and jewelry, and was attended to by a dedicated group of priests. Devotees would bring offerings of food, which the priests would then place into the crocodile’s mouth. The priests also had to get the sacred crocodile drunk, with one priest holding the crocodile’s mouth open while the other poured in wine.
When a crocodile passed away, it was given a hero’s farewell. Its body would be wrapped in luxurious linen and mummified before being laid to rest in the catacombs. A new crocodile would then be chosen, adorned with jewels and treated to wine in honor of its predecessor.
