The gods of ancient Egypt did not fulfill strictly defined functions and rarely interfered in human disputes. The names of some gods were not permanent and depended on the time of day and on the actions performed at a particular moment.
Apis Cult
The Egyptian god of fertility bore the name Apis. He had the appearance of a bull. Often between the horns depicted a solar disk. The cult center was in Memphis. Apis was considered the soul of the sun god Ra and the soul of Ptah - the god of Memphis. According to the beliefs of the Egyptians during the ritual run of the bull, the fields were fertilized. The Egyptian god of fertility associated with the cult of the dead. Images of this god holding a mummy on his back were often found on sarcophagi.
A personification of Apis
In Memphis, the personification of Apis was considered a black bull with white marks on the forehead and two tassels on the tail. This bull was supposed to have a neck silhouette on its back and a scarab silhouette under its tongue. When such a bull was born, it was a great joy for the inhabitants of Egypt. He was given a special room. He was dressed and fed. This bull was given honors as a god. Revered not only this bull, but also the cow that gave birth to him. She was also provided with a special room. The priests interpreted all the movements of the bull and built predictions for the future from them. When the bull was dying, it was a great grief; mourning was declared all over the country. His body was embalmed and placed in a sarcophagus. This sarcophagus was preserved in a special crypt - serapeum. The sarcophagi of the Apis bulls were looted in ancient times like the crypts of the pharaohs. Also in honor of the bulls, statues were erected, holding the disk of the Sun between the horns. After the death of the bull, the priests set about searching for a new Apis. When he was found, celebrations began throughout the country. Apis should not live more than 25 years. If he lived to this age, then he had to be cast down into the Nile - drown in a well. Each year, during the renewal of water, the Apis was celebrated in the Nile.
Bull of Osiris
Egyptian myths said that Nut (the goddess of heaven) every morning was transformed into a cow and gave birth to a bull Apis. Until the evening, this goby became an adult, and the goddess made him her husband. Apis and Mnevis were dedicated to Osiris, were considered his bulls. According to the beliefs of the inhabitants of Egypt, Apis is the bull of the moon, and Mnevis is the bull of the sun. During the reign of the Ptolemies, Apis and Osiris merged into one god Serapis.
Min is a producer of crops
Another Egyptian god of fertility, Ming, was considered a producer of crops. He was portrayed as a bearded man in a crown with two long feathers and a standing, disproportionately huge phallus. In his right raised hand, Ming held a whip - a symbol of power over slave power. At first he was considered the creator god, the cattle breeding god and the protector of crops. He later turned into the god of roads, the lord of deserts and the protector of travelers. The Egyptian fertility god Ming also gave men sexual power. Mina's main holiday was the Feast of Steps. On this day, the pharaoh personally cut the first sheaf, which the fertility god took into his own hands. Egypt is known for many gods, which are often associated with the pharaohs.