[Egyptian] 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.
APIS
Meaning of APIS in English
Encyclopedia Mythica English dictionary. Английский энциклопедический словарь греческой мифологии. 2012