Serqset 365Sept He was a deity of the 20th nome of Egypt, called
“the Lord of the East,” “the Smiter of the Mentiu,” or
“Sept of the Tusks.” He became HORUSthe Elder, Per-Sept,
in the Eastern Desert regions, especially in the WADI TIM-
ULAT, modern Saft al-Hannah.
Serabit el-Khadim This was a mining territory in the
SINAI, operated by the Egyptians from the Old Kingdom
(2575–2134 B.C.E.) to the Ptolemaic Period (304–30
B.C.E.). The Twelfth Dynasty (1991–1783 B.C.E.) espe-
cially exploited the natural resources in the area. Those
pharaohs designated Serabit el-Khadim as “the Eyes Are
in Festival.” Copper was sought there, as well as semi-
precious stones. A rock-cut chapel dedicated to HATHOR,
“the Lady of Turquoise,” dates to the Twelfth Dynasty at
Serabit el-Khadim. Expeditions to the region included the
escorts of army units.
See also EGYPTIAN NATURAL RESOURCES.
Serapeum (1) It was a necropolis erected for the buri-
als of the sacred APISbulls in SAQQARA. Also called the
“House of Oserapis,” the term Serapeum refers to the
ground-level part of the structure, and great vaults, corri-
dors, and chapels were part of the design. SERAPISwas a
deity formed in the reign of PTOLEMY I SOTER(304–284
B.C.E.) as an effort to link Greek traditions to the older
Egyptian cultic ceremonies. The name Serapeum dates to
the Ptolemaic Period also, as the Greek rulers wanted to
cement the cult of Serapis and to unite both Greeks and
native Egyptians in worship.
The Apis bull cult was started probably by AHA
(Menes) in c. 2900 B.C.E., and it is mentioned in the
PALERMO STONE. The bulls were buried in the temple of
PTAHnear MIT RAHINAHoriginally. In the New Kingdom
(1550–1070 B.C.E.), the monumental interment of the
bulls was standardized, and more than 60 mummified
Apis have been recovered.
KHA’EMWESET (1), the son of RAMESSES II (r.
1290–1224 B.C.E.), was involved in establishing the origi-
nal bull burial site that became the Serapeum in Saqqara.
The lower chamber walls of the monument were then
covered in gold leaf. Other pharaohs, including PSAM-
METICHUS I(r. 664–610 B.C.E.), added galleries. Priests
danced at the funerals of the Apis bulls, and immense
CANOPIC JARSwere part of the mortuary regalia. In time a
transverse gallery was added with vaults. A pink granite
sarcophagus with black markings was found there. In the
Ramessid gallery, founded by Ramesses II, an untouched
Apis bull and human remains were discovered. Some 24
monolithic SARCOPHAGI, measuring from 10 to 13 feet in
height and from 13 to 16 feet in length, were recovered.
Serapeum (2) It was a second necropolis for APIS
bulls, dedicated to SERAPISand erected in ALEXANDRIA, the
capital founded by ALEXANDER[III]THE GREAT(r. 332–323
B.C.E.). PTOLEMY I SOTER(r. 304–284 B.C.E.) fostered the
cult of Serapis and chose the Greek Parmeniscus to
design a proper temple for the site. Serapis was wor-
shiped in this temple and burial site as late as 391 C.E.Serapis A deity introduced into Egypt in the reign of
PTOLEMY I SOTER(r. 304–284 B.C.E.), a Greek version of
Osiris-Hapi, the god became the patron of the Ptolemies.
He was usually depicted as an old man, with a cerberus at
his side. His name was given to the necropolis of the APIS
bulls in SAQQARA, but his cult was popular only in
ALEXANDRIAand MEMPHIS. In some ceremonies Serapis
formed a trinity with the gods ISISand HORUS. A statue
dating to Roman times shows Serapis as a father deity.serdab A chamber in Egyptian TOMBSdesigned to hold
statues of the deceased, the word is Arabic for “cellar.”
Large statues of prominent dead Egyptians were posi-
tioned in the serdabso that the deceased could witness
the ritual ceremonies being conducted as part of the
ongoing cultic observances. Each serdabwas connected to
the rituals conducted in the mortuary-offering chamber
by a small window, or slits constructed at the eye level of
the statues. The serdaband window thus provided the
dead with access to the ceremonies being held for their
repose. The slits or small windows of the serdabwere
called “the Eyes of the kaHouse.” Some tombs of the
royal deceased contained four serdabchambers, each con-
taining a portrait sculpture.serekh (1) This was a large building erected in the
Early Dynastic Period (2920–2575 B.C.E.), having an
elaborate paneled facade, with two square towers and
intricately recessed doorways. Constructed of costly
wooden materials, the serekhserved as the royal resi-
dence, the PEROor palace. The royal tombs in ABYDOSand
the STEP PYRAMIDin SAQQARAused the serekhdesign.serekh (2) This was an Egyptian symbol serving the
names of the earliest rulers. DJET, or Wadj, the third
pharaoh of the First Dynasty (2920–2770 B.C.E.), adopted
the serekhdesign as his personal symbol of power. The
serekhappears on a STELAfrom his reign and denotes his
royal status. The ruler’s name was inscribed above the
serekhsymbol in a rectangle, topped by the Horus sign.
This device was the first cartouche form.serpent’s head It was an ancient AMULET, originally
phallic in nature, used to protect the wearer from
snakebites. When part of the MORTUARY RITUALS, the
amulet was believed to protect the deceased from attacks
by worms or serpents at the gravesite.Serqset See SELKET.