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A list of Kings who had stela left to the Apis Bulls at the Serapeum:
Year ? Amenhotep III | 18th Dynasty |
Year ? Akhenaten ? |
18th Dynasty |
Year ? Tutankhamun |
18th Dynasty |
Year ? Horemheb |
18th Dynasty |
Year ? Horemheb |
18th Dynasty |
Year ? Seti I |
19th Dynasty |
Year 16 Ramesses II |
19th Dynasty |
19th Dynasty | |
Year ? Ramesses II |
19th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses II |
19th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses II |
19th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses II |
19th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses II or Siptah ? |
19th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses III |
20th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses VI |
20th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses IX ? or X? |
20th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses XI |
20th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses XI |
20th Dynasty |
Year ? Ramesses XI |
20th Dynasty |
Year 23 Osorkon II |
22nd Dynasty |
Year 14 Takelot ? |
22nd Dynasty |
22nd Dynasty | |
22nd Dynasty | |
Year 11 Shoshenk V |
22nd Dynasty |
Year 37 Shoshenk V |
22nd Dynasty |
Year 6 Bakenranef / Year 2 Shabako |
25th Dynasty |
Year 4 Taharka ? |
25th Dynasty |
Year 24 Taharka |
25th Dynasty |
26th Dynasty | |
26th Dynasty |
Stela
dating to the time of Ramesses II
'Year 30, third month of
summer, day 21 of the Lord of the Two Lands Usermaatre-Setepenre,
Lord of Diadems, Ramesses, may he be granted life like Rê.
It happened that the majesty of the Apis departed to heaven, to
rest in the embalming house under [the charge of] Anubis who is
in the place of embalming, that he might mummify his body. The
children of Horus raise him up while the lector-priest recites
glorifications'.
Later in the text reference is made to the length of both the
mummification process and also the rites involved - this texts
shows that the whole procedure was the same for Apis Bulls as
it was for humans (70 days for the complete mummification process,
lector priests and Sem-priests perfoming the Opening of the Mouth
ceremony).
The Pasenhor Stela - 22nd Dynasty
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Introduction of the aforementioned god [Osiris-Apis] to his father [Ptah] in Year 12, 4th month of Peret, day 4 of King 'Akheperra', Son of Ra', Shoshenq. He was born in Year 11 of his Person. He came to rest in his place in the Sacred Land in Year 37, 3rd month of Akhet, day 27 of his Person. May he give life, stability, health, and joy to his Beloved Son, the priest of Neith, the God's Father (?), Pasenhor - the son of the Mayor, Overseer of the South (?), Overseer of the Prophets in Heracleopolis Overseer of the Troops, Hemptah; born of the Prophet of Hathor of Heracleopolis, his sister, the Lady of the Household, Iretiru - the son of (the same titles) Pasenhor; born of the Sistrum Bearer of Arsaphes, King of the Two Lands, Ruler of the Two Banks, Ptahdedes (?) - the son of (the same titles) Hemptah, begotten by the same titles) Tjaenkemet - the son of (the same titles) Djedptahefankh; begotten by the Prophet of Hathor of Heracleopolis, the King's Daughter , the Lady of the Household, Tentsepeh - the (royal) son of (the same titles) Nimlot; begotten by the Sistrum Bearer of Arsaphes ..., Tentsepeh - the son of the Lord of the Two Lands Osorkon, begotten by Djed-mutes'ankh - the (royal) son of Takelot, and the God's Mother Kapes - the (royal) son of Osorkon, and the God's Mother Tashedkhons - the (royal) son of Shoshenq, and the God's Mother Ka-ra'ma't - (and the God's Father, the Great Chief Nimlot, and the God's Mother Tent-sepeh - the son of (the same titles) Shoshenq- begotten by the Mother of the King Mehtenvreskhet - the son of (the same titles) Paihuty - the son of (the same titles) Nebneshi the son of (the same titles) Mawasan - the son of the Libyan Buyuwawa. |
I. Memorial Stone of
the Priest and Seer of the Apis Bull, Senebef, son of Shed-Nefer-Tmu,
and of his son, the Memphite Priest Hor-Heb.
'In the Year [2], the month [Mekhir], on the [1st] day, under
the reign of King Pa-mai, the friend of the Apis-god in the
West. This is the day on which this (deceased) god was carried
to the beautiful region of the West, and was laid at rest in the
grave, at rest with the great god, with Osiris, with Anpu, and
with the goddesses of the netherworld, in the West. His introduction
into the temple of Ptah beside his father, the Memphite god Ptah,
had taken place in the year 29, in the month Paophi, in the time
of King Shashanq III'.
II. Memorial Stone
of the High Priest of Memphis, Pet-Ise.
'In the Year 2, the month Mekhir, on the 1st day, under the reign
of King Pa-mai, the friend of the great god Apis in the West.
- This is the day on which the god was carried to his rest, in
the beautiful region of the West, and was laid in the grave, and
on which he was deposited in his everlasting house and and in
his eternal abode. He was born in the Year 28, in the times of
the deceased King Shashanq III. His glory was sought for in all
places of Patomit (Lower Egypt). He was found, after (some) months,
in the city of Ha-shed-abot. They had searched through the lakes
of Natho and all the islands of Patomit. He had been solemnly
introduced into the temple of Ptah, beside his father, the Memphite
god Ptah of the south wall, by the high-priest in the temple of
Ptah, the general of the Mashauasha, Pet-Ise, the son of the high-priest
[of Memphis and the great chief of the] Mashuasha, Takeleth, and
of the princess of royal race, Thes-Bast-per, in the year 28,
in the month Paophi, on the 1st day. The full lifetime of this
god amounted to 26 years'.
III. Memorial Stone ofthe Memphite Priest Hor-se-Ise.
'In the Year 2, the month Mekhir, the 1st day, under the reign
of King Pa-mai, the friend of the great god Apis in the West,
the god was carried to his rest in the beautiful region of the
West. He had been solemnly introduced into the temple of Ptah
beside his father, the Memphite god Ptah of the south wall, in
the year . . . . . . under the reign of King Shashanq . . . .
[in the year] 5 [+?] after he had shown his . . . . . . , after
they had sought for [his glory. . . . . ]. The full lifetime of
this god amounted to 26 years. (This tablet is dedicated) by the
hereditary [prince] (here follows a string of titles in the priestly
style) Hor-se-Ise, the son of the High Priest of Memphis and chief
of the Mashuasha, Pet-Ise, and of the eldest of the wives . .
. . . [and by the . . . . . ] Takeleth, whose mother Ta-ti-Hor
. . . . . . is.
Memorial Stone of the
Satrap Pet-Ise, and his sons Pef-Tot-Bast and Takeleth.
'In the 28th year of King Shashanq, may he grant health, life, prosperity,
to the general of the Mashuasha, Pet-Ise, the son of the general
Takeleth - his mother is Thes-Bast-per - the son of the first
and greatest of the princely heirs of his Majesty Shashanq, the
son of the king and lord of the land, Uasarken II.
And to his venerator and friend, the high-priest of Ptah, Pef-tot-Bast,
the son of the general Pet-Ise, whose mother is Ta-ari, a daughter
of the general Takeleth, -
And to his venerator and friend, the priest of Ptah, Takeleth,
the son of the general Pet-Ise and of (his wife) Hor-set.
Stelae relating to
the kings of the 26th Dynasty:
Tablet I
'Year 20, month Mesori, day 20, under the reign of King Psamthek
I, the majesty of the living Apis departed to heaven. This god
was carried in peace (to his burial) to the beautiful land of
the West, in the Year 21, month Paophi, day 25; having been born
in the 26th year of the king of Upper Egypt, Taharaqa; and after
having been inaugurated at Memphis in the month Pharmuthi, on
day 9'.
(A total of 21 years).
Tablet II
(After the full name of king Psamthek I....)
'In the Year 52 under the reign of this god, information
was brought to his Majesty: "The temple of thy father Osiris-Apis,
with what is therein, is in no choice condition. Look at the sacred
corpses (the bulls), in what a state they are! Decay has usurped
its place in their chambers". Then his majesty gave orders
to make a renovation in his temple. It was made more beautiful
than it had been before.
His Majesty caused all that is due to a god to be performed for
him (the deceased bull) on the day of his burial. All the dignitaries
took the oversight of what had to be overseen. The sacred corpse
was embalmed with spices, and the cere-cloths were of byssus,
the fabric becoming for all the gods. His chambers were panelled
with ket-wood, sycomore-wood, acacia-wood, and the best sorts
of wood. Their carvings were the likenesses of men in a chamber
of state. A courtier of the king was appointed specially for the
office of imposing a contribution for the work on the inner country
and the lower country of Egypt'.
This explains how in Year 52 of Psamthek I's reign he undertook
to expand the existing Serapeum with a new gallery (with panelled
woodwork as the inscription notes).
Tablet III
'Year 16, month Khoiakh, day 16, under the reign of King Neku,
the ever-living, the friend of Apis-Osiris. This is the day of
the burial of this god, and of the arrival of this god in peace
into the nether world. His interment was accomplished at his burial
place in his holy house in the Libyan desert near Memphis, after
they had fulfullied for him all that is customary in the chambers
of purifaction, as has been done from early times.
He was born in the year 53, in the month Mekhir, on the 19th day,
under the reign of King Psamthek I. He was brought into the temple
of Ptah (of Memphis) in the Year 54, in the month Athyr, on the
12th day. His union with life took place [in the year 16], month
Paophi, day 6. The whole duration of his life amounted to 16 years,
7 months, 17 days.
His Majesty King Neku II supplied all the costs and everything
else in splendour and glory for this sublime god. He built his
subterranean tomb of fine white limestone in well-wrought workmanship.
The like of it was never done before'.
Tablet IV
'Year 12, month Payni, day 21, under the reign of the king Uah-ab-Ra
(Hophra), the friend of Apis-Osiris, the god was carried in peace
to the good region of the West. His interment was accomplished
in the West of the Libyan Desert near Memphis, after they had
fulfilled for him all that is customary in the chambers of purification.
The like was never done since the early times.
This god departed to heaven in the Year 12, month Pharmuthi, day
12. He was born in the year 16, month Paophi, day 7, under the
reign of King Neku II, the ever living. His introduction into
the temple of Ptah took place in the year 1, month Epiphi, day
9, under the reign of King Psamthek II. The full life-time of
this god was 17 years, 6 months, 5 days.
The god-like benefactor Uah-ab-Ra supplied all the costs and everything
else in splendour and glory for this sublime god. Thus has he
done for him, who bestows life and prosperity for ever.
Tablet V
'Year 23, month Pakhons, day 15, under the reign of King Khnum-ab-Ra
(Amasis), who bestows life for ever, the god was carried in peace
to the good region of the West. His interment in the nether world
was accomplished, in the place which his Majesty had prepared
- never had the like been done since early times - after they
had fulfilled for him all that is customary, in the chambers of
purification; for his Majesty bore in mind what Horus had done
for his father Osiris. He had a great sarcophagus of rose granite
made for him, because his majesty approved the custom, that all
the kings in every age had caused it to be made out of costly
stone. He caused curtains of woven stuffs to be made as coverings
for the south side and the north side (of the sarcophagus). He
had his talismans put therein, and all his ornaments of gold and
costly precious stones. They were prepared more splendidly than
ever before, for his Majesty had loved the living Apis better
than all kings.
The holiness of this god went to heaven in the year 23, month
Phamenoth, day 6. His birth took place in the year 5, month Tehuti,
day 7; his inauguration at Memphis in the month Payni, day 8.
The full lifetime of this god amounted to 18 years, 6 months.
"This was done for him by Aahmes-se-Nit, who bestows pure
life for ever"'.