Desert Art

An

Egyptian Bestiary Dorothea Arnold

THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUMOF ART

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Egyptian Desert

themostfamousliterarywork forpOtS. Mostimportantly, in ancient of ancientEgypt,Sinuhe,a timestheEgyptian desertwasteeming nobleman,fearingthewrathof withwildlife. a newpharaoh,fleesEgyptand Duringtheprehistoric periodand crossestheeasterndesertintoAsia. theOld Kingdom,theareasborderYearslater,asan oldman,he returns ingtheNilevalleyon theeastand anddescribes hisperilousjourneys: westwerestepperatherthanbarren "Anattackof thirstovertookme," wasteland, supporting patchesof grass, he writesaboutadventures duringhis shrubs,andevenoccasional trees. desertcrossing."Iwasparched,my Minorwatercourses andsporadic rains throatburned.I said,'Thisis thetaste nourished theplants,andthevegetaof death."' To theancientEgyptians tionin turnsustained a richvarietyof thevastaridlandsflankingtheirferanimals.Forhumanslivingin the tilevalleycouldindeedcarrythethreat Nilevalley,wildsteppegameconstiof death.If theyventuredbeyondthe tutedan importantsourceof foodin valleymargins,theymightsufferas theseearlytimesandservedasofferdidSinuhe,fallvictimto predators, ingsto thegodsthroughallperiodsof or encounterstrangeandforeign Egyptianhistory.Huntingsteppeanipeople.It musthaveseemedfitting malsin thewideopenlandsgave thatthedesertwasa "landof death," kingsandnoblesampleopportunities wheretheEgyptians buriedtheirdead. to provetheirvalorandfeelthemHowever, thedesertwasalsothe selvesto be mastersof theuniverse. bountifulrealmthatprovidedstone In Egyptianreligionthe existenceof forEgypt'smagnificent buildingsand abundant animallifein the"landof statuary, goldandsemiprecious gems death"becamea potentsymbolof life forjewelry,metalsandmineralsfor afterdeath.Innumerable representaluxurygoodsandweapons,andclay tionsof desertandsteppeanimalsin

tombsandroyalfunerary monuments, aswellastheuseof suchanimalsas amuleticobjects,areevidenceof this. Duringthewholepharaonic period, wildherdanimalssuchasantelope andibexandpredators suchaslions andleopardsroamedthesteppewhile it turnedgradually intodesert.Many othercreatures-fromtinyjerboas, whoselonghindlegsenabledthem to performacrobatic leaps,to hedgehogsandwildcats-madetheirhomes in thehillystepperegion.Therewere stillelephants andgiraffesin thisarea in fourthmillenniumEgypt,butthey gradually diminished ascultivation, raisinglivestock,andclearingwoodland,alongwithclimaticchanges, causedsteppevegetation to recede. Today,althoughtheEgyptiandesert stillsupports somevegetation andwildlife,manhasbroughtmanyEgyptian desertspeciesto thebrinkof extinction, andthedesertandsteppeenvironmentsthattheancientEgyptians knewcanbe foundonlyin presentdaySudanor farthersouth. 7

I. Comb

2. The Hunt in the Steppe

h. 2X4 in. ca.3200 B.C. Ivory; Predynastic, M. DavisCollection, (S.7cm).Theodore M. Davis,I9Ii ofTheodore Bequest

Dynasty, probablyca. 23S0B.C. Saqqara, in. (60.3cm). Rogers Limestone;h. 23X4 Fund,I908 (08.20I.Ig)

(30.8.224)

The animalsminutelycarvedin relief on thissmallcomb(itsteethnow missing)havebeenidentifiedwith On oneside moreorlesscertainty. (fromthetop)area rowof elephants standingon giantcobras,thenone of a stork,whichhasa snakeunderits eitherits foodor the beak(indicating it inhabits), wetlandenvironment leadinga giraffe,threemorestorks, anda heronorcrane.Thenextthree the rowsincludea dogattacking hindmostof threelargefelines,a line of antelope(possiblyonegazelleand threeoryx),anda lineof whatmight be dogsorpigs,endingin a staror flower.On thecomb'sothersidethe butbelow top two rowsarerepeated, a row, in (jackals?) themarecanids followedby cattleorwildbulls,and againa lineof dogsorpigs.Theanifromrowto directions malsalternate or row.Thlscreatesan lmpresslon whilethe continuityandperpetuity, factthattheentirespaceis filledwith animalsspeaksof an overwhelming of animallife. abundance The elephantsaremoreschematithantheotheranimals, callypresented andtheirpositionatoptheserpents seemsto be symbolic.The mythology eleof manyAfricanpeoplesassociates phantsandserpentswiththecreation r

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Thebowandarrowwasthemostimportanthuntlngweaponln anclent Egypt,butduringthe Oldandearly MiddleKingdomsgrazinganimals wereoftenhuntedwithlassosafter theherdhadbeendrivenintoa stockto catchthe ade.It wasimportant animalsaliveso thattheycouldbe fattenedin captivitybeforetheywere Onedetail(top)showsan slaughtered. beingroped ibexnubiana, ibex,Capra row The uppermost of theuniverse. of thesteppe. in thehillylandscape a cre- Thepenis not represented of eachreliefmaythusrepresent in this ativedeityto whomtherestof the relief,asit is in manyotherhunting No human scenes.Dogsaccompany animalsowetheirexistence. thehuntsbeingis depictedon thecomb,butthe men;in theotherdetail(bottom) dog shown onehoundcatchesa Dorcasgazelle, of theattacking presence by its upward-curling Gazella asdomesticated by the leg, while dorcas, hintsat theexistenceof man, tail anotherattacksa hyena.A hareanda withpharathehunter.Comparison gazellecrouchbehindtreesandbushes suchasthe onicrepresentations, to escapethehunters.Hieroglyphic sugeven drawingin numberI2, may givetheanimals'names inscriptions gestthatthisdogbelongsto a ruling anddescribethelassohunt. chieftainorking. In additionto thewell-known times Whileivoryin pharaonic theMuseum completetombof Perneb, wasveryoftenof hippotooth,this chapelof Prince ownsthefunerary combis madeof elephantivory,an Thedetailsherearetaken Ra-m-kaj. indicationthatelephantsmaystill froma reliefon its southwall.The havebeenroamingthedesert-steppes princeandheirto the thronemust becausea at theendof thefourthmillennium havediedprematurely, of dynastichisB.C. Bythe beginning carvedfora judge tomboriginally wasadaptedfor tory,elephantsandgiraffesweregone namedNeferiretnes fromEgypt,andtodaylionsno .l1S lnterment. longerlivethere. .

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3. Gazelle ivory, Dynasty I8, ca.I400 B.C. Tinted inlay;h. 4/2 in. wood,andblue-pigment S. Harkness Edward (II.5 cm).Purchase, Gift,I926 (26.7.I292)

A lovepoemof theNewKingdom likensthepassionof the loverto the intensityof a gazelleasit fleesthe hunter: O thatyoucameto yoursister[lover] swiftly, Likea boundinggazellein thewild; Itsfeetreel,itslimbsareweary, hasenteredits body. Terror A hunterpursuesit withhishounds.

Thiselegantivorygazelleseems poisedforjustsucha flight,itsslenderlegssetdaintilyon theuneven groundof thesteppe.It standsamong desertplantsthatareincisedintothe woodenbaseandfilledwithbluepigment.Theplumplittlebodyis smoothandlustrous,theheadheld alertlyon a swanlikeneck,andthe circular eyestinteda velvetybrown.

Purplecoloringon theforeheadand muzzle,aswellasasymmetrically lineson the appliedpurple-brown backandtail,mayindicatedifferencesin theshadingof thefur.The hoovesaredarkbrown.Theanimal's earsarebrokenoff,andthehorns, madeof anothermaterial, originally aremlsslng. Thegazellestatuettewasmost partof a richburialequipprobably ment.In thiscontexttheanimal servedasa symbolforthepowersof attributed to renewalthatEgyptians alldesertandsteppeanimals.The themummy Museumalsopossesses of a realgazellethatwasburiedwith thecoffinof a Thebanladyof Dynasgr26 (664-525B.C.). .

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4. Weightof ThreeDebenin the Shapeof a Gazelle DynastyI8, reignof AmenhotepIII, ca. I390-I353 B.C. Bronze;h. 2X8 in. (5.4cm). Purchase,LilaAchesonWallace Gift,I968 (68.I39.I)

Theartistwhoshapedthisbronze obgazellewasa masterof carefully serveddetails.Theneckstretches fromitshumpedbasein a natural, The correctmanner. anatomically aretensed, musclesof thehindquarters theweightrestingon theleg reflecting joints.Heavy,droopinglidshalfcover nostrilsare theeyes,andtheanimal's flaredasif scentingtheair.Theartist thequalitiesof thehard hascaptured knobbyhornsandthesoftfurryears. Threeincisionson thebackof the animalindicatethatthefigurewas (273 supposedto weighthreedeben grams),whichis slightlymorethanits actualweightof 26I.8 grams,a differBronze encecausedbycorrosion. weightsin animalformwerecommonduringtheNewKingdom.They weremainlyusedto weighgoldthat servedaspaymentandtributeorwas in usedbyjewelersor othercraftsmen theirwork.

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S Antelope Head Dynasty27, 525-404 B.C. Graywacke, inlaid Egyptianalabaster andagateeyes;h. 3/2 in. (9 cm). Purchase, RogersandFletcher FundsandJosephPulitzerBequest,I992 (I992.

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Thesculptorhasshapedthisheadof anantelopeso skillfullythata distinct impression of itsdelicate,thinbone structure is conveyed. Theskinis stretched overtensesinewsandlean flesh.Thesoft,sensitivemuzzleseems welladaptedto sampledesertherbs andgrass.Theeyes,almondshaped withluminousalabaster inlaysfor theeyeballs,areespecially striking. Theremaining agateinlayof theright pupil bluishpurplewitha gray outercircle lendsa hypnoticquality to theantelope's gaze.Originally hornsof ivoryor gildedwoodwere attachedto theheadbytenons. Onlyrecentlyhavegazelles,antelope,andibexbecomescarceto the polntorextlnctlonln egypt.even at thetimethisheadwasmade,however,it wasprobably rarefortheordinarynonhuntingEgyptianof the alluviallandto encounteroneof these elegantcreatures. Thesculptorcertainlyreflectedin hisworkan expressionof aweat thequasi-miraculous appearance of theanimal. Thehead a masterpiece of Late Periodanimalsculpture-wasmost likelynot partof anentirefigurebut rathercrownedtheprowof a ceremonialboatdedicatedto thegodSokar, whowasin chargeof thedesertand thepyramidcemeteries nearEgypt's capital,Memphis.

6. Ibex Dynasty I8, ca.I55O-I300 B.C. Faience (figures of a crocodile anda fishengraved onunderside); h. /2 in. (I.2 cm).Purchase, Edward S. Harkness Gift,I926 (26.7.So)

7. Ibex LateDynasty I8, probably reignof Amenhotep III,ca.I390-I353 B.C. Mottled semitranslucent cryptocrystalline quartz closelyresembling jasper(horndamaged; twoholesdrilledon underside, oneeach, frontandback);h. I in. (2.5 cm).Purchase, Vaughn Foundation Gift,I980 (I980.2)

ibexfrequently servedasthehieroglyphicemblemfortheword"year." Thesetworepresentations of recumbentibexaremarkedly different fromeachotherin postureandexpression. Thefaienceanimalon its littlebasemightbe crouching behind a bushduringa hunt.Eyeswideopen andheadonlyslightlyraisedfromthe forelegs,theanimalseemsto be listeningandsniffingforthedreaded hunterandhisdogs.In contrast,the quartzibexliftsitS headproudlyon an uprightneck.In a posturerecalling thebronzegazelle(no.4), both forelegsarebentbackward andthe bodyrestsgracefully on theleft haunch.Despitethesmallsizeof thefigure,theartisthasconveyedthe unevenweightdistribution with remarkable accuracy. Theanimal's body is curved,andthelefthindleghasdisappeared underthehaunch.Thispose wasusedforthelargeramsculptures thatKingAmenhotep IIIdedicated to thegodAmun-Reat his templeof Soleb,UpperNubia.The stronginfluencesuchlargesculptures exerted on theminorartsis reflectedin the smallfiguresof thisibexandthe bronzegazelle. The two ibexfiguresservedas adornment. Thefaienceoneis pierced horizontally to fit into a ring.The quartzibexmayhavedecorated an elaborate perfumevessel,in which caseit wouldhavebeenattachedby pegsortubesprotruding fromtheundersideandbypiecesof wiresecuring it frontandback.

TheancientEgyptians considered the ibexto be a good-luckcharmand symbolof renewal.Ibexfiguresoften decorated NewYear's gifts,andin "HappyNewYear" inscriptions an 13

8. Statuetteof the GodAnubisas Embalmer 304-30B.C. Woodwith Period, Ptolemaic gessoandpaint;h. I6/2 in. (42cm).Giftof I938(38.5) Mrs.MyronC.Taylor,

the Thiswoodenfigurerepresents godAnubiswitha canidheadon a humanbody,wearingthefeather costumeof Egyptiandeities.In this pose handsraised,palmsdownpurifiward thegodperformed ritesover cationandtransfiguration a mummy.Duringtheactualmummltlcatlonprocess,a prlestwearlnga canidmaskplayedtheroleof Anubis. *

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era.Thespecieswasrareevenduring timesandlivednot in the pharaonic steppeproperbutin thebrushat the lands.It is borderof theagricultural actuallysaw likelythatfewEgyptians thisshyanimal,althoughfromthe OldthroughtheNewKingdomrepstags of themagnificent resentations appearin imagesof thehuntin the desert. thiscenTheartistwhohammered terprotomefromsheetgoldforthe crownof a Hyksosladyof highrank createdsucha detailedimagethathe musteitherhaveseentheactualcreatureorbasedhisworkuponanother Thehead closeobservation. artist's showsalltheessentialcharacteristics of thespecies:themajesticdimenbrow,puffy furrowed sions,triangular nose,andlarge cheeks,rectangular ears.Evenminordetails funnel-shaped fromtheknobby arewellrepresented, cirdesaroundthebaseof theantlers indicatedbytwistedgoldwireand aroundtheears to thepores repeated in thefleshof thenose.Thesenaturalof aswellasthetechnique isticfeatures, obthree-dimensional manufacturing halves, jectsbyjoiningtwohammered thatthe Egyptian is so essentially be attributed piecemustundoubtedly artlst. to an qgyptlan Thediademis alsoadornedwith headsof gazellesandlotusblossoms. Beginningin theOldKingdom, withpapyrusandlotus headbands worn werefrequently ornaments byEgyptianwomen.Thecombinationof marshflowersandhorned headshasa foreign desert-animal thatmaybestbe however, character, to thetasteof a Hyksos attributed clientwithstrongtiesto theCanaanite MiddleBronzeAgeculture. .

9. StagProtomefroma Diadem ca.I640I5-I6, Period, Dynasty Hyksos 37/6 in. h. of protome IS5O B.C. Gold; Wallace LilaAcheson (8.8 cm).Purchase, Gift,I968 (68.I36.I)

The Persianfallowdeer,Damv cameto Egyptbyway mesopotamica, of theSuezisthmusin thePleistocene

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to. Headof a Canid,Possiblya Jackal LatePeriod,664-332B.C. Gypsumplaster; 1.2M2 in. (6.4 cm). RogersFund,I974 (I974264)

of wildcanids Theclassification jackal,Cvnis forinstancetheEgyptian lupaster, andthewilddog livingat themarginsof theEgyptiandesert causesproblemsevenforzoologists.It thatthe therefore, is not surprising, didnot distinguish ancientEgyptians canidspeciesin theirrepreparticular of gods,suchasthenecropsentations olisgodAnubis(seeno. 8);Duamutef, oneof thefoursonsof Horus;or thegodof Asyut,a town Wepwawet, in MiddleEgypt.Thissensitively modeledplasterheadcouldhave servedto depictanyof thesedeities. Theuseof plasterandtherough,unmodeledareaaroundtheearsindicate thattheheadwascastin a mold. hasshownthat Recentresearch Egyptianartistsuseda varietyof finely fortrial gradedplastermaterials piecesandfinishedworksof art.This smallheadis in a classwithOldKingheadsandthefamous dom"reserve" from New Kingdomplasterportraits studioatAmarna.In the anartist's moldcastingwas latterworkshop, alsopracticed.

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II.

AnubisRecumbent

Dynasty26-27,664-404B.C. Saqqara, paintedblack(neck, originally Limestone, nose,leftear,rightleg,andpartof base Milton 1.25X4 in.(64cm).Adelaide restored); of thedeGroot deGrootFund,in memory I969(6g.Io5) andHawleyfamilies,

EgyptianartistsoftendepictedAnubis entirelyin animalformandin a pose To indicatingwatchfulguardianship. in theEgyptian thisday,in cemeteries desert,wilddogsguardingtheirterritoriesstretchoutin thesamealertpose asthispowerfilllimestonesculpture. figurewasexcavated The near-lifesize WalterB. by Britisharchaeologist Emeryin a templedepositat Saqqara, nearancientEgypt's thevastnecropolis Templeobjectswere capital,Memphis. gatheredandhiddenduringthevariousforeignraidson Memphis.It is not knownfromwhichtempletheAnubis statuecame.A LatePeriodsanctuary of Anubis,calledtheAnubieion, by oneof thenumerwassurrounded thatwere at Saqqara ouscemeteries dedicatedto theburialof specifically sacredanimals.

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t2. PharaohSpearsa Lion 20lateDynasty Valley oftheKings, Thebes, Period,ca.II00ThirdIntermediate h. (ofstone) limestone; 700 B.C. Painted S. Edward 5/2 in. (I4 cm).Purchase, Gift,I926 (26.7.I453) Harkness

livedin aweof TheancientEgyptians thegreatfelines,andlionsespecially of astheembodiment wereregarded

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power.A lionessdeity,forexample, in a MiddleKingdom wasaddressed textas"theGreat,whoseeyesare keenandwhoseclawsaresharp,the lionesswhoseesandcatchesby night."Thehuntingof lionswasa asshownin this royalprerogative, anddetailedsketchby an masterly whoadded Egyptiandraftsman, praiseto pharaohin floweryscripton thebackof thepiece.Flakesof the denseThebanlimestonewerethetraof scribesand ditional"notepaper" artistsin theNewKingdom.The handsareoftenthoseof master (seealsonos.3Sand63). draftsmen havestressedthatthislion Scholars doesnot standon thesamelevelas dog.As pharaohandhiswell-trained thelionembodiestheforcesof chaos, it belongsto a worldbeyondthe orderedrealmof theEgyptianking. Lionswerepartof the Egyptian faunauntilabouttwocenturiesago, periodsthey andin thepharaonic musthavebeenfairlycommon.They wellknownto herdswerecertainly menandhuntersasthemostdangerousanimalof thesteppe.Recentlythe

skeletal remains of adultaswellas younglionswerediscovered nearthe tombof theFirstDynasty kingHor Aha(ca.2960-2926 B.C.) atAbydos, MiddleEgypt clearevidence that fromthebeginning Egyptians kept captive lionsattheroyalcourt.Theremainsof a NewKingdom zoowere foundin theDeltapalaceof King Ramesses II(ca.I279-I2I3 B.C.) at Qantir. Lions,elephants, andhorned desertbeastshadbeenkeptin this menagerie.

Theartist's sketchof a royallion huntwasreportedly foundnearthe entrance to thetombofTutankhamun,whereit wasdiscarded byan artist,probably working in oneof the lateNewKingdom tombsnearby.

I3. RecumbentLion SaidtO befromGebelein, EarlyDynastic, ca.3000-2700 B.C. Quartz; h. 43/4 in. (I2 cm).Purchase, Fletcher FundandGuide Foundation Inc.Gift,I966 (66.99.2)

Theabstract form,lackof a base,and thewaythetailcurlsup acrossthe backof thisglowingfigureof a lion datesit to EarlyDynastictimes.It is a somewhatenigmaticmasterpiece, and scholarshaveproposed variousinterpretations. Theanimalhasbeenidentifiedasa manelessmalelion,a lioness,anda cub.Thislastis most likely.Noneof thehardstone sculpturesof powerfuladultlionsthatwere madearoundthesamedatematches theshorthead,over-large nose,soft

mouth,andgeneralfurriness of ears, paws,andbody.Thesefeatures, decidedlythoseof a younglion,mustbe readasintentionally reproduced characteristics of theanimalrepresented. It is diSlcultto explainthemeaning of a lion-cubsculpture in thecontext of Egyptianreligionandart,especiallyin thisearlyperiod.In ancient Egyptlionsusuallyrepresented the king.Therewasa famoustempleof thegoddessHathorat Gebelein, wherethequartzlionwasreportedly found.Beginningin earlytimes, Hathorwasnot onlythegoddessof lovebutalsoa celestialmotherdeity whoappeared asa cowsucklingthe kingandasa wildlioness.Isthequartz lionherson,theking? 17

I4. Amuletin the Formof a Seated Goddesswith LionHead

NewKingdomstatuesof Sakhmet, goddessof warandpestilence.On the beautiful,slenderbodyof a woman ThirdIntermediate Period,ca.I0707I2 B.C. Faience; h. 2/2 in. (6.scm).Purchase, sitsthemenacingheadof a lionessenEdward S. Harkness Gift,I926 (26.7.868) circledbythemaneof themale,which hadbecomea symbolof powerused regardless of gender.In herrighthand In Egyptianreligionliongodswere thegoddessholdsa sistrum,a musical lessprominentthanlionessdeities. instrument likea rattle.Thesistrum The femalesembodiedtheessence of supernatural powerandweremuch wasusedin performances thatwere believedto transform revered. However,it wasthegeneral thedangerous conceptof thelionessdeitythatwas Sakhmetinto Bastet,thecatgoddess, important, not themanynamesunder herbenigncounterpart. If Egyptians in theNewKingdom whichsheappeared. Thisoftenmakes it difflcultto distinguish iconographic- wouldcallthisgoddessSakhmet, allybetweenthevariouslionessdeities thoselivingin theThirdIntermediate n egyptlanart. andLatePeriodsoftenunderstood seatedfiguresof thelionessdeityto be The enthroned goddessof this intricateamuletcloselyresembles Wadjet,thegoddessof LowerEgypt, *

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whoalsoappeared in theshapeof a cobra(seenos.48 and49). Believed to be endowedwithmagicpowers, thisWadjetin heramuleticroleis supported bya demonnamed Nehebkaw. He appearsin thelatticeworkon thesideof thegoddess's throneasa serpentwithhumanarms andlegs.Beforehimanotherlioness deityis seen,thisonestanding. Sincealllionessdeitieswereclosely relatedto thesungod,Re,thisamulet'sheadwasoncecrownedby a sun disk,possiblyof gildedbronzeorgold. It wasattachedby meansof a peg insertedintoa holedrilledbetween theanimal's ears.

In theMiddleKingdomthisbeliefled to thecustomof includingimagesof leopard headsin girdleswornby Malqata,DynastyI8, reignof Amenhotep III,ca. I390-I3S3 B.C. Egyptianalabaster; women.Thelargeheadsof thispiece 1.sAsin. (I3 cm).RogersFund,I9II (II.2IS.7IS) weremadein twohalveshammered fromsheetgoldandsolderedtogether. understood the Theinteriorspaceswerefilledwith TheancientEgyptians pebblesso thata rhythmicsoundwas leopard,Panthera pardus,andthe respectively, cheetah,Acinonyxjubatus, createdwhentheowner a princess verastheUpperandLowerEgyptian namedSithathoryunetwalkedor sionsof thesameanimal.It is theredanced.Thegirdlewasfoundwiththe Amulet I6. DoubleLeopard-Head thatnot all foreunderstandable richjewelryin an restof theprincess's froma Girdle clearly representations distinguished niche of herplundered undisturbed of Senwosret II,DynLahun,pyramid betweenthetwolargefelines.In this tombat Lahun.Thethreadthatheld B.C. Goldand astyI2, ca.I900-I840 handleof a cosmeticspoonthelong Rogers theelementstogetherhaddisinte1.IX4 in.(4 S cm).Purchase, amethyst; Gift,I9I6 (I6.I.6) indicates FundandHenryWalters neckof theanimalprobably grated,buteachpiecewaspainstakingis being celethatthecheetahis leap fromthesedimentbyone ly recovered brated.Thespoon,clearlya luxury headsandskins and,less Leopard archaeologists, Guy of theexpedition's item,wasfoundin the palaceof often,thoseof cheetahs servedas AftertheMuseumacquired Brunton. KingAmenhotepIII,oneof thegreat priestlygarments andwerebelievedto mostof thejewelryin I9I6, thegirdle huntersamongEgypt'spharaohs. rejuvenation andfertility. guarantee fromBrunton's sketches. wasrestrung IS. LargeFelineas Handleof a CosmeticSpoon

Bothleopards andcheetahswere commonin Egypt,astheywerein the restof Africaduringancienttimes. extinctin Egypt, Todaytheyarelargely havingbeenseenat thelastleopards century, of thetwentieth thebeginning arestillliving whereasrarecheetahs neartheLibyanborder.

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