Roman Bronze Statuette of a Bull in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, September 2009

Bronze statuette of a bull
Roman, ca. 2nd century AD

Accession # 11.140.9

The bull was a powerful symbol in many ancient religions, none more so than that of Egypt, where the animal was worshiped as the god Apis. The Romans found it easier to accept the Apis bull than some of the more exotic deities of the Egyptian pantheon, like the ibis-headed god Thoth or the jackal-headed Anubis, and they ridiculed Egyptians as worshipers of animals such as cats and crocodiles.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.