Apis the Bull God

This small bronze statue was a votive offering and was an expression of devotion from the worshipper who was hoping for a blessing. The sun disk between the horns represent divinity. The ancient Egyptians believed that Apis, the sacred bull of Memphis was a manifestation of Ptah upon the earth. Whenever an Apis bull died in Memphis it was embalmed and mummified.  Each bull had its own huge sarcophagus and its birth and death were recorded, carved onto the walls. 

After the Israelites were delivered from Egypt, Moses came down from the mountain and found Aaron had set up a golden calf or young bull, that the people might worship God in this form. When the northern kingdom of Israel divided from their brothers in the south, Jeroboam introduced bull worship and set up two idols, one at Bethel and the other at Dan. 

"And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." - Exodus 32:3,4 

The Apis Bull God discovery is important in the study of Biblical Archaeology. It confirms that bull/calf worship was prevalent in the ancient Near East and these little statues were the idols used in ancient Israel.

Bronze figure of Apis, the sacred bull
From Lower Egypt
Late Period, about 600 BC
Length: 16 cm 
Width: 6.13 cm 
Height: 20.5 cm 
Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan (study collection)
Item: EA 37448
Location: British Museum, London

British Museum Excerpt

An offering to Ptah

Many animals play a part in the religious life of ancient Egypt. The sacred bull of Apis is one of the best known. The Apis bull had a cult centre at Memphis and was seen by the Egyptians as one of the manifestations on earth of the god Ptah.

When an Apis bull died, it was embalmed. The large tables used for embalming the bulls have survived near the modern centre of Memphis. The mummified bull was buried at Saqqara. From the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC) onwards, burials took place at the Serapeum, a maze of large underground caverns in the desert. Each bull had its own huge sarcophagus, which was placed in one of these underground chambers. The dates of each bull's birth and death were recorded, and the information has often survived, carved on stone stelae set into the walls of the burial place.

A prospective new Apis bull was required to have a white crescent on one side of its body or a white triangle on its forehead, signifying its unique character and its acceptance by the gods. Once the Apis bull was chosen, its mother was also honoured, and buried in catacombs at Saqqara set aside for the purpose.

This bronze statuette is a votive offering, presented to the god as an expression of devotion, with the hope that the god would look kindly on the donor. The statuette might have been deposited in the Serapeum and the sun disc and uraeus on the bull's head show the divinity of the animal. 

"Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan."  - 1 Kings 12:28-29

Leviticus 26:1 - Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up [any] image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I [am] the LORD your God.

Psalms 106:35-38 - But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils. And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.