SACRED BULLS IN EGYPT

Evening Star, Issue 22881, 12 February 1938, Page 7

SACRED BULLS IN EGYPT

Dr Drioton, Director-General of 'Antiquities, Egypt, describes the discovery near Zagazig of 12 large granite sarcophagi, formerly containing the mummies of sacred bulls dating from the fourth ceritury n.c. The necropolis has been violated, but the internal decoration of three of the sarcophagi is said to be sufficiently well preserved to enable the posthumous destinies attributed by the ancient Egyptians to their sacred bulls to become known for the first time. _ Dr Drioton declares that it is now shown that the sacred bulls were _ introduced by their patron divinities into the assembly of all the gods. Hence it was a veritable apotheosis. He further announces that the first reading of the brief inscriptions proves that the outstanding feature of the posthumous destinies of the sacred bulls was their reunion with the moon. This, he declares, while not a surprise, is a novelty in Egyptology. Small chambers containing tiny stone sarcophagi, in which were mummies of sacred falcons, whose eggs were buried beside them in jars, were also found near the sarcophagi of the sacred bulls. Further excavations will be made.