Apis
(Hap)
Apis
was the holy bull or bull god of Memphis.
Any
bull found bearing a white triangle on its forehead and
otherwise totally black, was considered to be the personification
of Apis. Priest derived omens from his behavior. The bull
was not allowed to live past 25 years and upon reaching
this age it was drowned and a new bull was sought. If it
died before that time, it was buried with much ceremony
at Sakkarah, south of Cairo.
The
Apis cult was later closely connected with the god Ptah,
but was also widespread among the Greeks and Romans.
The
Encyclopedia Mythica