Head of Sarapis (Serapis)

This is a limestone head of Serapis. Serapis also spelt Sarapis, was a Greco-Egyptian deity of the Sun first encountered at Memphis, where his cult was celebrated in association with that of the sacred Egyptian bull Apis (who was called Osorapis when deceased). He was thus originally a god of the underworld but was reintroduced as a new deity with many Hellenic aspects by Ptolemy I Soter, who centred the worship of the deity at Alexandria. The head was discovered at the Temple of Sarapis at Soli本次介绍的藏品为塞拉皮斯（Serapis）石灰岩头像。塞拉皮斯（Serapis，亦拼写为Sarapis）是希腊-埃及太阳神，最早在孟斐斯出现并受到供奉，其崇拜仪式与神圣埃及公牛阿匹斯（Apis，死后被称为奥索拉皮斯Osorapis）的崇拜活动相结合。该神祇最初本为冥界之神，后由托勒密一世·索特尔（Ptolemy I Soter）重新引入，成为兼具诸多希腊化特征的新神祇，并将该神的崇拜中心设立于亚历山大城。此头像出土于索利（Soli）的萨拉皮斯神庙。