In ancient Egyptian religion, Apis or Hapis, alternatively spelled Hapi-ankh, was a sacred bull or multiple sacred bulls worshiped in the Memphis region, identified as the son of Hathor, a primary deity in the pantheon of ancient Egypt. Initially, he was assigned a significant role in her worship, being sacrificed and reborn. Later, Apis also served as an intermediary between humans and other powerful deities.
Statue of Apis, Thirtieth dynasty of Egypt (Louvre)
The sacred procession of Apis Osiris by F.A. Bridgman
Pharaoh statuette with the Apis bull (British Museum)
Api or Hapi (Apis, Taureau Consacré a la Lune), N372.2, Brooklyn Museum
Ancient Egyptian religion
Ancient Egyptian religion was a complex system of polytheistic beliefs and rituals that formed an integral part of ancient Egyptian culture. It centered on the Egyptians' interactions with many deities believed to be present and in control of the world. About 1500 deities are known. Rituals such as prayer and offerings were provided to the gods to gain their favor. Formal religious practice centered on the pharaohs, the rulers of Egypt, believed to possess divine powers by virtue of their positions. They acted as intermediaries between their people and the gods, and were obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings so that they could maintain Ma'at, the order of the cosmos, and repel Isfet, which was chaos. The state dedicated enormous resources to religious rituals and to the construction of temples.
The gods Osiris, Anubis, and Horus in the Tomb of Horemheb (KV57) in the Valley of the Kings
The sun rises over the circular mound of creation as goddesses pour out the primeval waters around it
Nun lifts the solar barque with the new-born sun from the waters of creation.
Statue of Khafre, an Old Kingdom pharaoh, embraced by Horus