The household cat is lavishly painted on the left side of Fowling in the Marshes. It is catching the fleeing birds that Nebamun has disturbed with his throwing-stick and decoy herons. The cat is energetically grabbing, biting, and jumping through the marshes. Its coat is finely painted and individual hairs can been seen amongst its outline. Important to note is the cat’s gilded eye. The gilded eye is the only known example of gilding to be found on a Theban wall painting. Because of this special detail, many scholars believe that the cat could represent Ra, the sun god. Further adding credence to this theory, is that the cat hunts the enemies of light and order represented by the wild birds. Overall, the cat is the most fascinating creature amongst Fowling in the Marshes with its fusion of religious symbolism and naturalistic depiction.
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