of Armant
Buchis (Egyptian: Bekh) from Armant (Hermonthis) in province four of Upper Egypt was one of three divine bulls in Egypt (besides Apis from Memphis and Mnervis from Heliopolis). His cult lasted into Roman times to almost 400 A.D. Buchis was a manifestation of Osiris and Re and was also linked to the local god of war and his companion Mentu
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and later also Amon. Like Apis from Memphis a unique looking bull calf was chosen from a specific pattern of a black head and a white body and was considered a real Buchis and thereby the re- presentation of the two gods Osiris and Re.
Just like in Sakkara the bulls were mummified and put to a final rest at a special cem- etery (in Latin: Bucheum). In Armant a couple of new and unique local features were added: their cowmoth- ers were embalmed too and their bodies were fixed in a standing position on a foun- dation of wooden planks. |