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The Race of the Apris Bull
the Race of the Apis Bull which is often associated with the king's sed festival. This well known ceremony is for the first time found mentioned on the Palermo Stone in regard to several archaic kings, and afterwards, on a cylinder of Horus Den, the fourth king of the 1st Dynasty, we have the first known testimony of the Apis race.During the inauguration of a monument, the sacred bull Hap, at times accompanied the king during his race, as in the image on the second register at this point on the wall. Some inscriptions provide that "the king gives the land four times", implying that this ritual race was made around the area of the temple, once for each direction. Here, this is a double scene that is often found on the lintels of doorways that provide access to the sanctuaries of temples. On one side the king wears the red crown and on the other side, the white crown. Clearly visible, the king on the right holds two libation vessels. Behind him the two symbols of heaven, cut in half, are crowning the symbols of the the bull.
On the far left of this same register, Usermaatre, who wears the curling locks of a crown prince is clad in a panther skin. he holds the censer in one hand while he presents "food" to Menmaatre ( Seti I), who is standing on a pedestal in a naos, as an equal of a god. Hence, Ramesses II is paying homage to his father.
On the bottom register below these scenes, a column of text behind the barques of Khonsu and Mut, inform us that Menmaatre, maa kheru, accompanied his father Amun into the splendid temple Seti-beloved-of Ptah in the house of Amun. Hence, Seti I is depicted walking behind the sacred barques, in the same direction as the gods, and he is qualified as maa kheru (vindicated), which indicates that the king "was brought up to heaven and that he has rejoined He who has created him".

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