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"He is the beautiful herald of Ptah... The living image of the creator."
While many animals in Ancient Egypt were sacred, the Apis Bull was unique. It was not just a symbol; it was a living god. Only one bull at a time held this title, chosen by the priests through a rigorous search for divine markings.
The Apis Bull (Hapi-ankh) was believed to be the Ba (soul) of the god Ptah, the creator god of Memphis. The bull served as an intermediary between humans and the creator, living in luxury and worshipped by kings and commoners alike.
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Finding the God
When an Apis Bull died, the entire nation went into mourning. A search party of priests was dispatched across Egypt to find the new incarnation. The calf had to be black and possess 29 specific markings, including:
- A white triangle on the forehead.
- The shape of an eagle or vulture on its back (saddle).
- A scarab beetle shape under the tongue.
- Double hairs on the tail.
Once found, the calf and its mother (who was also revered as the "Mother of God") were taken to Memphis in a golden procession.
Life in the Temple of Ptah
The Apis lived in a special sanctuary ("Apieion") within the great Temple of Ptah in Memphis.
- Oracle: The bull's movements were interpreted as oracles. If it accepted food from a visitor's hand, it was a good omen; refusal was a sign of doom.
- Care: It was fed the finest foods, slept on soft bedding, and was even given a harem of cows. Its birthday was celebrated annually as a national holiday.
Burial of a King
Upon death, the bull underwent a full royal mummification process that could take up to 70 days. Its organs were placed in massive Canopic jars.
The mummy was then transported to the Serapeum at Saqqara, a vast underground necropolis carved into the bedrock. There, the bull was laid to rest in a colossal granite or basalt sarcophagus weighing up to 80 tons.
Oserapis and Serapis
After death, the Apis became Osiris-Apis (Oserapis). In the Ptolemaic period, this fused deity evolved into Serapis, the bearded Hellenistic god introduced by the Greeks to unify the two cultures.