Sphinx Bull

Sphinx Bull
Occurrence	The Last Revelation Guardian of Semerkhet Street Bazaar Underneath the Sphinx
Enemy Type	Sub Boss
Classification	Animals
Distinctiveness	Cannot be killed

The Sphinx Bull are enemies from The Last Revelation.

These appears at the Guardian of Semerkhet, the Street Bazaar and Underneath the Sphinx. Their image is taken from the Ancient Egyptian god Apis. These bulls are invincible, and will charge at Lara at every opportunity. Lara manipulates the bulls into smashing through doors, smashing into stone door switches to open an escape door from the Guardian of Semerkhet, and to smash crates. Lara should stand in front of the object that needs to be smashed. As the bull charges, she should move out of the way using her acrobatic skills at the last minute.

We can assume from the name of the level, that the bull was the guardian of Semerkhet's tomb. The appearance in street bazaar could link it to Seth since many beasts were appearing around the City of the Dead in Cairo. However, because of it's protective role in the tomb of Semerkhet and also in the chambers under the Sphinx Complex, it might not be entirely evil, just irritable.

The Apis Bulls

Apis, Hapis or Hapi-ankh was a god worshipped in the Memphis area of Ancient Egypt . Cows and bulls were one of the foremost religious symbols of Egyptian mythology, symbolising fertility, and these animals were also often used for sacrifice.

Eventually, the incarnations of Apis (as black bulls) would be chosen by priests and would live in a palace in Memphis for the rest of its life. The death of an incarnation of Apis and the discovery of a new one were great events in Ancient Egyptian life. Incarnations of Apis were buried in their own tombs in the Serapeum at Saqqara.

Apis was considered to be linked to both the gods Ptah and Osiris. Later, he became the centre of the Hellenstic-Egyptian cult of Serapis - now in the form of man rather than a bull.

Images

• 

  The Sphinx Bull attacking Lara

• 

  Two bulls as harmless statues (not triggered yet).