Handcarved Flying Tortie Cats

I recently came across these gorgeous handcrafted flying cats on Etsy. Don’t they look just like torties? The cats are hand carved and painted by Balinese artisans.

The story behind these magical winged cats is wonderful. The myth of these Winged Spirit Guardians goes back to ancient Majapahit Mythology in the 13th through 16th century. These guardian figures have deep cultural & spiritual significance. Often found as flying angels in animal or hybrid form, they are used to protect temples or homes from harm and drive away evil spirits.

The cats are available in several different sizes and styles. I was surprised that the largest cat has no tail. Debra Ramon, who owns Acadia World Traders, told me that many cats in Bali are Bobtail cats, which is probably why the carver left the tail off.

The Winged Guardian Cats are available from Etsy.

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