In ancient Egypt, animals were represented by many different things including gods, strengths, or particular energies. When the ancient Egyptians created sculptures or paintings that had animals, is usually was a representation of a god or god-like person with the use of specific materials and textures.
The sacred bull of Apis is one of the best known animals seen in ancient Egyptian religion and is seen in the sculpture at right. The Apis bull was seen by the Egyptians as one of the manifestations on earth of the god Ptah. Each bull was given its own sarcophagus, which was placed in one an underground chamber. The dates of each bull's birth and death were recorded, and the information has often survived, carved on stone stelae set into the walls of the burial place. This bronze statue is an offering, presented to the god as an expression of devotion, with the hope that the god would look kindly on the donor. The sun disc and uraeus on the bull's head show the divinity of the animal.
Animals, like the Apis bull, were valued so highly in religion by the Egyptians that it is quite easy to understand how essential animals were to their daily lives seeing that their culture and basis of society was centered around them.
Link to image gallery: https://highdesertmuseum.org/covid-stories/
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