The Serapeum of Saqqara

The amazing aspect of the Saqqara Necropolis is that it continues to astound Egyptologists and the public by the new discoveries that are made continuously.   Saqqara has been, and is, the most active excavation site in the world.  And from the perspective of being rich in what it reveals about Ancient Egypt, Saqqara also has some of the largest animal cemeteries in the world.

What Serapeum Is All About?

The Serapeum of Saqqara is located northwest of the Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara.  It was a burial place of the Apis, sacred bulls, that were incarnations of Ptah. It was believed that the bulls became immortal after death as Osiris-Apis.  Apis was a god originally associated with fertility, and later connected with the god Ptah.

As the cult gained importance, underground galleries were dug that connected burial chambers. Above ground, the main temple enclosure was supplemented by shrines, workshops, housing and administrative quarters.   In other words, there were buildings, not dissimilar to those found around a pharaoh’s tombs, which signified the importance of animals to the ancient Egyptians and cult worship.

Many other animals were mummified and buried in other cemeteries around Saqqara. Sometimes this was as beloved pets, sometimes as food offerings to the deceased, but primarily for religious purposes and dedicated to specific gods. Other animal cemeteries at Saqqara include cats, dogs, jackals, ibis and baboons.  All of these identified to specific Egyptian Gods