Bast

"Bastet or Bast is a goddess of ancient Egyptian religion possibly of Nubian origin, worshipped as early as the Second Dynasty (2890 BC). Her name also is rendered as B'sst, Baast, Ubaste, and Baset. In ancient Greek religion, she was known as Ailuros. Bastet was worshipped in Bubastis in Lower Egypt, originally as a lioness goddess, a role shared by other deities such as Sekhmet. Eventually Bastet and Sekhmet were characterized as two aspects of the same goddess, with Sekhmet representing the powerful warrior and protector aspect, and Bastet, who increasingly was depicted as a cat, representing a gentler aspect." [Bastet, Wikipedia]

Bubastis, Bast, or Pasht was the cat-goddess of Egypt, the daughter of Isis. The temples of the goddess were located in Bubastis and Elephantine.[1] Cat-headed Bubastis frowns down as a sullen guardian in the purple pylons before the pyramids.[3] The ghost of Bubastis lurks in desert ways.[4]

Myths of animal-headed deities such as Bast are allegories of forgotten truths.[6] For Egyptian gods and religions were based on secret realities. Strange hybrids walked the earth when it was young; gigantic, lumbering creatures—half-beast, half-human.[7] The priests of Bubastis viewed their god as a representative of monstrous beast-men who shambled on Earth in primal days.[4]They regarded Bast as carnivorous,[7] as the ghoul-goddess, Chewer of Corpses.[1]

Prinn's Saracenic Rituals chapter records that the priests were blaspheming against the reigning religions and performing atrocious sacrifices.[1] The beast-mouths of the gods hungered for blood. The priests had made strange and curious bargains with their divine Masters.[7] The priests were mating animals and humans in an attempt to create a hybrid with the attributes of their deity.[1]

Unnatural perversions drove the cult of Bubastis out of Egypt.[4] After Nephren-Ka, the new ruler and his people drove out the wicked priests who prostituted their faith to carnivorous Bubastis.[4] Some of Nyarlathotep's grisly endowments were reassigned to milder deities such as Bubastis.[5]

Some of the fleeing priests of Bubastis settled in Cornwall.[4] The priests established an underground settlement there, with treasures far greater than those of the Pyramids. There dwells a 10 foot tall figure like a giant human, but with a wrinkly feline head. The cave is located near the modern day estate of Malcolm Kent, who brought people for the Bast-creature to eat.[1]

In ancient times, the last visitor to the tomb of the Master was a priest of Bast. At this tomb, the door to the outer passageway is decorated with a seven-headed figure, of which one of the heads is Bast.[3]

Luveh-Keraphf, author of Black Rites, was a priest of cryptic Bast.[2][9]

The Probilski Foundation had a statue of Bast crouching, baring feral fangs.[8]

Aka:Chewer of Corpses; Pasht.

1. [RB Brood]
2. [RB Grinning]
3. [RB Opener]
4. [RB Fane]
5. [RB Faceless]
6. [RB Mummy]
7. [RB Sebek]
8. [RB Strange]
9. [RB Suicide (online text)]

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