The Striding Apis Bull Essay -- essays papers

The Striding Apis Bull The Apis Bull originated in Memphis, cult of Serapis during the reign of Ptolemy I. Serapis was the god whose association with Osiris, the god of the dead, formed the name Asar-Hapi. Asar is the Egyptian name of Osiris and Hapi was the name given to the Apis Bull which was the object of worship at Memphis. The Greeks combined the two together to form Zaparrus. Even though it is not quite clear, it is certain that Serapis is the shape Apis took after death. â€Å"Apis is called the â€Å"life of Osiris, the lord of heaven, tem (with) his horns (in) his head .†He is said to give life, strength, and health to thy nostrils forever.† At the beginning of the new Empire Osiris and Apis are united by priests of Memphis to represent a funeral character which, at the time, was considered a god of the underworld. This character that was considered to be the god of the underworld was the Apis Bull. There are several different Egyptian myths about the â€Å"Apis Bull†. However, the most common myths of the Apis Bull are alike. â€Å"In one myth Apis assisted Isis, Osiris’s wife, in searching for the body of Osiris. It was believed by the ancient Egyptians that the bull’s fecundity and generative powers could be transformed to the deceased, ensuring him or her rebirth in the next life.† In another Egyptian myth it was said that an Apis Bull was born of a virgin cow that was impregnated by Ptah. â€Å"The Bull could be recognized by a peculiar white mark on his neck, a rump t...