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The Gods of Egypt: Apis |
Facts about Apis The Gods of Egypt - Apis Fact Sheet Fact 1 on Apis: Apis was worshipped as a god in his own right but is more often associated with Ptah the powerful creator god. Fact 2 on Apis: The bull-god was believed to be the manifestation or living image of Ptah. Fact 3 on Apis: The bull-god was also revered as the 'Herald' of Ptah, acting as an intermediary between the bull-god and the Egyptian people. Fact 4 on Apis: The cult center of Ptah was located at Memphis in Lower Egypt and the home of the Triad of Memphis consisting of Ptah, Sekhmet & Nefertum. Memphis was a great city with a massive temple complex including a temple to the bull-god. Fact 5 on Apis: A black bull calf with a white flash diamond shape on its forehead was considered to be the personification of Apis. This special bull was believed to have been conceived through a divine flash of lightening. Fact 6 on Apis: The mother of the bull-god was known as 'Isis' in reference to the ancient Egyptian 'mother goddess'. Fact 7 on Apis: The bull-god was located in Memphis in a sacred sanctuary called the Apieion. The palatial Apieion was built in close proximity to the temple of Ptah. Fact 8 on Apis: The Apieion consisted of two huge chambers, one for the bull and the other for his mother. The roof of the chambers were supported with massive statues of bulls. Fact 9 on Apis: Both the bull-god and its mother were given the greatest care and fed with the finest food. Only the most honored guests were allowed inside the Apieion sanctuary. Fact 10 on Apis: The pharaohs of Egypt had a 'Window of Appearance' built in their palaces which enabled Egyptians to view the Pharaoh on special occasions but at a respectful distance. The Gods of Egypt - Apis Fact Sheet Facts about Apis Apis in Egyptian Mythology The Gods of Egypt - Apis Fact Sheet Fact 11 on Apis: The idea of the 'Window of Appearance' was adopted in the design of the Apieion, where the bull-god could be seen by the Egyptians. Fact 12 on Apis: The bull-god left the Apieion for special festivals and would form part of a great procession of priests, dancers musicians and standard bearers. Fact 13 on Apis: There were jubilee festivals and rituals that involved the bull-god and the Pharaoh. At such festivals religious rituals were conducted in relation to the rejuvenation of the powers of the Pharaoh and the king accompanied the bull-god in the parade and is referred to as the "Race of the Apis bull". Fact 14 on Apis: The "Race of the Apis bull" was deemed to be an extremely important event and as such is mentioned in the famous Palermo Stone. Fact 15 on Apis: The bull-god of Memphis was believed to possess the powers of prophecy and considered to be an oracle. Food was offered to the bull and if it took the offering this was deemed to be a good omen. Fact 16 on Apis: The average lifespan of the bull was 14 years. There was only ever one bull-god. When the bull-god died the whole of Egypt went into mourning. Fact 17 on Apis: The body of the bull-god was embalmed by priests and ceremoniously entombed in the Serapeum, the name of the vast underground necropolis where the Apis bulls were buried. The Gods of Egypt - Apis Fact Sheet |