The Apis bull was an important sacred animal to the ancient Egyptians. As with the other sacred beasts, Apis' importance increased over the centuries. Apis Bull: An Important Sacred Animal in Ancient Egypt. Image: Statue of Apis from the 13th dynasty of ancient Egypt The ancient Egyptians were known for worshiping many gods, most of whom were represented by various animals such as cats, dogs, and bulls.
Apis Bull, Saqqara Serapeum (Illustration) Ancient History Encyclopedia
Apis is depicted throughout Egypt's history as a striding bull, usually with a solar disc and uraeus (the sacred serpent which symbolized the king's power) between its horns. The ancient Egyptians believed that Apis, the sacred bull of Memphis was a manifestation of Ptah upon the earth. Was Apis the Golden Calf of the Exodus? Whenever an Apis bull died in Memphis it was embalmed and mummified. Each bull had its own huge sarcophagus and its birth and death were recorded, carved onto the walls. Ancient Egypt Apis bull was considered sacred and worshiped as a symbol of strength, vital energy and power. The bull was the earthly incarnation of a god, a manifestation of the Memphite creation god Ptah; it was the 'soul (Ba) Ptah' and the 'Herald (whm) of Ptah'. (Greek); Egyptian: Hap, Hep, or Hapi See all related content → Apis, in ancient Egyptian religion, sacred bull deity worshipped at Memphis. The cult of Apis originated at least as early as the 1st dynasty ( c. 2925- c. 2775 bce ).
AN EGYPTIAN BRONZE APIS BULL LATE PERIOD, XXVI DYNASTY, CIRCA 664525 B.C. Ancient Art
The Serapeum of Saqqara was the ancient Egyptian burial place for sacred bulls of the Apis cult at Memphis. It was believed that the bulls were incarnations of the god Ptah, which would become immortal after death as Osiris -Apis. a name which evolved to Serapis (Σέραπις) in the Hellenistic period, and Userhapi ( ⲟⲩⲥⲉⲣϩⲁⲡⲓ) in Coptic. Apis was typically depicted as a large, black, horned bull with white body markings and a menat collar, which was the sacred necklace of the goddess Hathor. He also wore a radiate sun crown. View the Bull Apis on Pedestal3D for full screen and additional functions. Blending the metaphorical and tangible, Egyptian priests kept and venerated a real bull, Apis in Memphis, where special rituals and reverence were bestowed on an actual animal. It was a focus in the annual seven-day long Apis Festival and important in oracle - prophecy. World History Encyclopedia, 21 Apr 2017. Web. 03 Dec 2023. Remove Ads Advertisement Life-size basalt statue of the Apis Bull dedicated by Hadrian to Serapis in Alexandria (Egypt), Osiris, Sunken Mysteries of Egypt exhibition, Paris (2015)
Apis the Sacred Bull of Memphis Bible History
Apis: the divine bull of the Egyptian capital Memphis, a manifestation of the god Ptah. Statuette of an Apis bull Already in the most ancient times, the Egyptians venerated bulls, animals that represented fertility. ("Strong bull" was a common title for creator gods and kings.) The cult of the sacred bull Apis is probably one of the oldest and most prominent cults in ancient Egypt. Evidence for Apis bulls goes back to the first king of the 1st Dynasty, Horus-Aha c. 2900 B.C. 2 The Apis bull was mentioned for the last time in the Panegyric to the Western Roman Emperor Honorius, written by Egypt-born poet Claudian in 398 A.D.
The Apis bull was originally viewed as the manifestation of Ptah. However, the Apis was soon linked to Osiris when Ptah and Osiris merged and so Plutarch described the Apis as the "fair and beautiful image of the soul of Osiris". According to one myth, the Apis was the living embodiment of Ptah while he lived and Osiris when he died. World History Encyclopedia, 28 Apr 2017. Web. 29 Dec 2023. A limestone Apis bull statue from the Serapeum at Saqqara, Egypt. 30th Dynasty. Height: 1.26 m. (Louvre Museum, Paris)
Egyptian mummified divine Apis bull, 300 BCE 400 CE, displayed in the Smithsonian Museum
In Ancient Egypt, Apisor Hapis(alternatively spelt Hapi-ankh) was a bull-deity worshiped in the Memphis region and thought to represent rulership and masculine vigor. Though originally a local deity, his popularity grew throughout the dynastic history, such that, by the Ptolemaic period, he was "a kind of national mascot." The Apis bull was one of three sacred bulls in ancient Egypt. The cult of the Apis bull was so popular and so important to the Egyptians that when the invading Persian king Cambyses (ruled 525-522 B.c.) reached the city of Memphis, he could think of no greater insult than kill and eat the Ap.
