Archaeological and ancient history student Leon Austin completed the summer space in the museum this year and explained something for exhibition in our Egypt and Sudan Gallery.
This small copper alloy sculpture comes from a combination of Max Robino (1845-1900) and has shown the sacred APIS bull in a high-speed currency, raised a bit on the head, wearing a solar disk on his head through Uraius (Cobra). The data stands at an integrated rectangular base, which has a small loop or hook color on its back for suspension, which shows that it is worn as an amulet or pendant or has been hung as a vote. Excellent income with the body represents physical details, such as muscle or potential rituals.
The APIS Bill was considered to be a physical manifestation of the Patha Creator God, and was later connected to Oceers and RA. The bull was selected for specific features, including its black white marks. These symbols reinforced its cosmic importance:
- Sun Disc: RA, Divine Kingdom and Eternal Renewal.
- Yurai (Cobra): The royal authority and a symbol of protection prevents evil.
- Bell Farm: Fertility, strength and viral associated with the Divine Kingdom makes the characteristics.
APIS Bill was one of the most sustainable and important sacred animals in the Egyptian religion. The first family starts in the Memphus during the first family (3100-2900 BC). Classic authors distinguish Localization of APIS from other bulls sects: Plutark to APIS Helopolis with Mempis and Mnevis (Plutark, Dyside At Oseride, Section 33ND), while Starbo also notes the importance of APIs in the Membrane Religion (Starbo, geography, 17.22). The Davidos Sequolis described the APIS as a divine marked bull, which is the second most respected (Dave, Babylotica Hastoreka, 1.84-1.85). These testimonies emphasize the ancient, location and dignity of the sect.
The latest serpent studies are very debtor of the excavation of August Maret in the 1850s, which revealed the burial of dozens of bulls. His recently digitized notebooks, which have been published by Louver, record the search locations, allowing modern scholars to resolve their historical implications. This shows how API’s burial not only fulfilled a cultural function but also provided some precise historical anchor for the third intermediate period.
Over time, APIS representation was ready. Plenie The Elder described the APIS as black, in which Halal -shaped mark on its part (Plyian The Elder, Natural History, 8.46). Purphiri, in it, translates APIS as a moon bell, in the clutter imaging (on Porphiri, Clot Images, 3.13), which symbolizes both the sun and the moon: the black body and scarb under its tongue, and a symbol of the moon. On the contrary, Alexandria’s serial describes APIs with Hilal on her forehead, and called it a “baby of the moon” and “the children of the sun” ((the descendants of the sun.In the serial of Alexandria, Osim 3, 125,23-28). Stein notes that the details of the serial are discharged from the lunar sequence of the Purphiri and possibly reflects the local Alexander visual traditions, where the reflection (such as coins, Kum al -Shukafa relief) began to move Crescent to the forehead. It indicates a significant development in the painting of APIs from Roman to late to ancient periods.
Learn more about our Egyptian collection by finding our online catalog.
