Otter

The Otter in Ancient Egypt

The European Otter and the Spotted-necked Otter were rare in ancient Egypt. Otters were confused with the ichneumon, and were assigned similar attributes of protection and identified with the sun.

Many bronzes of both otters and ichneumon have been found, and are difficult to tell apart. However, there are a few key differences: the otter is shown with five webbed toes on its fore and hind feet, as in real life, while the ichneumon only has four, and statues of otters often have a prominent throat patch, commonly seen on the spotted-necked otter. According to Diodorus, the otter went extinct in Egypt during Dynastic times and was replaced in its religious status by the ichneumon.

Carnivores of Ancient Egypt