Encyclopedia of African Religion

and the priestly process of finding new bulls to
take the place of Apis.

Origin of the Idea

The Apis bull concept may have originated in
Nubia. We know that it was worshipped in the
Nile Valley long before it became associated with
a particular deity. However, in Egypt, the Apis
bull was Ausar on the Earth in full manifestation.
Ausar was worshipped as the god of the Dead and
resurrection at the end of the Old Kingdom. By
then, Apis had been worshipped in Nubia and
Egypt since at least the first dynasty. Some authors
think that the Apis bull might be predynastic, a
position that seems quite probable given the data
regarding its presence at the first dynasty. Later, as
Mnevis was Ra-Atum, so Buchis was Ra, and Apis
the resurrected Ausar. These three bulls selected
for their special markings and physical character-
istics were gods on the Earth.

When the Apis died, he was mourned, ritualized,

mummified, and buried with the same pomp and

pageantry that one associated with the death and

burial of a per-aa. Plutarch claims that the Apis bull

was worshipped because the people believed him to

be Ausar. This black bull, the mighty bull, the Great

Black One, was Apis-Ausar, the soul of Ausar.

Sacrifices to the Apis bull had to be made with oxen

that were of uniform brown or white color; they

could have no blemish on their hides. The Great

Black One had to have clean, unblemished animals

for the sacrifice to be acceptable.

The ancient Egyptians kept the Apis bull in

Mennefer, the capital city and chief religious cen-

ter in the north of the country. In this city, Per-aa

Psammaticus built a grand court with columns of

12 cubits in height in which the bull was kept

prior to being paraded in public for the people to

see and behold the living Ausar. Psammaticus also

built two stables that were connected to the court

of the Apis bull. These two stables for the animal

66 Apis

Bronze statuette group of the king before the Apis bull. From Egypt. Late Period, after 600 BC.The Apis bull was sacred to the god
Ptah of Memphis. Only one Apis bull existed at a time, unlike other sacred animals.
Source: British Museum/Art Resource.