Bast was worshipped as the Egyptian Goddess and protector of cats, women and children. She was thought to be goddess of sunrise. She was also known as a goddess of love, fertility, birth, music and dance. She dates back to at least the Second Dynasty (c. 2890-2686 Before Common Era B.C.E.) The most common depiction of Bast is the body of young woman with the head of a domestic cat sometimes holding a sistrum. Her 'sister' Sekhmet, is shown with the head of a lioness.

Her cult centre was in Bubastis, the temple, now in ruins, was made of red granite with a sacred grove in the centre, with the shrine of the goddess herself. In her temple were kept sacred cats, who were supposed to be incarnations of the goddess. When they died they were carefully mummified. She was goddess of pleasure and became one of the most popular deities. Cities in which festivals of Bast were celebrated included Thebes, Memphis, Bubastis, and Esna.

There are no large statues of Bast, in any form that have survived intact, although there many smaller bronzes and statues that can be seen in museums around the world. Also there are no remaining shrines or temples today of Bast in Egypt. There is however, a painting of Bast within the tomb of Nefertari at Abu Simbel, also many bronze statues have been discovered amidst the cat cemetery found at Per-Bast.

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