Priests/Priestesses of Bast in Ancient Egypt
Googled using: Bast, Bast+worshippers, Bast+priest
My question is what the priesthood of Bast was like, if there was any. I know that Bast had a temple in the city of Per-Bast and cat-worship was common throughout ancient Egypt, but I'm having a hard time finding information the priesthood aside from modern pagan sites. If such a priesthood did exist, was it mostly male, female, or both? Did they serve any other roles in the community aside from caring for the temple and officiating over ceremonies? (I've read that Bast was considered a warrior-protector goddess of Lower Egypt, so the thought of a caste of warrior-priests did cross my mind)
Thanks for your help!
My question is what the priesthood of Bast was like, if there was any. I know that Bast had a temple in the city of Per-Bast and cat-worship was common throughout ancient Egypt, but I'm having a hard time finding information the priesthood aside from modern pagan sites. If such a priesthood did exist, was it mostly male, female, or both? Did they serve any other roles in the community aside from caring for the temple and officiating over ceremonies? (I've read that Bast was considered a warrior-protector goddess of Lower Egypt, so the thought of a caste of warrior-priests did cross my mind)
Thanks for your help!