Statue of the Apis bull

Apis, “the king of all sacred animals” in Egypt is depicted in this votive bronze statue, probably dated to the Late Period. Thanks to the numerous positive characteristics attributed to bulls (procreative power, unfettered life energy), the Apis bull and its cult became part of the rituals connected to Egyptian kingship as early as the beginnings of the country’s written history. In the Late Period, votive bronze statues were produced and erected en masse to pay tribute to the Apis bull, which was considered the living image and earthly manifestation of Ptah.
The votive statue shows the usual depiction of a bull striding forward with its left leg. Between the horns, a sun disc adorned with an uraeus snake can be observed. The quality of the piece can be determined with difficulty due to its heavily oxidised surface, however, the proportions of the body as well as the workmanship of the heels all refer to an execution of higher standard. Traces of a pin can be observed on both the front and rear parts of the pedestal.