ARCHAEOLOGY Call her the original cat lady. Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a forgotten temple beneath the port city of Alexandria that belonged to Queen Berenice II, who reigned alongside her husband Ptolemy III from 245 to 221 B.C. Many of the 600 statues found in the temple depict Bastet, the ancient Egyptian cat goddess of war and healing.

   The presence of so many feline statues in one temple indicates that the space was dedicated to Bastet, says Zahi Hawass, the secretary-general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. It is likely that Queen Berenice hosted feasts and other celebrations there, particularly to honor the goddess. It is the first time a Bastet temple has been found in Alexandria, although others have been discovered elsewhere in Egypt.

   In addition to the Bastet figurines, the collection of statues in the temple includes limestone carvings of women and children and ancient Egyptian deities in bronze and terra-cotta. Archaeologists also uncovered wells, water channels and the remains of a bath area, all of which suggest that the location might have been part of Alexandria’s royal quarters