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Burial
Places for the Mothers of the Sacred Bulls Not only were the divine bulls granted specially built burial chambers - the mother cows of such animals were also thought of as divine and therefore were equally honoured in life and death. Mothers of Buchis Bulls Were each interred in a separate cow-burial, some were equipped with stone sarcophagus but only one inscribed stela has been found which dates from the time of Emperor Commodus (180 - 192AD). Many of the tombs were covered by vaults of mud or burnt-brick as were any of the connecting passages. Mothers of Apis Bulls North of the Serapeum the burial complex for the Mothers of Apis Bulls have been found - on the western side of the plateau cut into the rock. The layout is very similar to the Late Period section of the Apis Bulls gallery, although on a much smaller scale. Chambers on either side of the central corridor held sarcophagus which had been completely smashed by Coptic vandals - the only remains discovered are loose cow bones and pieces of linen. Each chamber was originally lined and then sealed with limestone - the exterior of the blocking was inscribed by the priests responsible for the burial of the cow but was far less elaborate than the stelae found with the Apis Bulls. From the surviving texts the earliest burial has been dated to the first year of Psamouthes (393BC - 29th Dynasty) and the last in Year 11 of Cleopatra VII (41 BC). But like the Apis Bulls themselves, early burials for the Mother cows are known to have existed (dating to at least the 26th Dynasty), so another burial complex may await discovery. |
