Aspects of Animal Sanctification in Graeco-Roman Monuments in Egypt

The aim of this study is to spot the light on the relation between the Greeks, Romans and the sacred animals in ancient Egypt. It investigates the classical elements relating to this theme in arts during the Graeco-Roman Periods, and provides artistic and archaeological proofs for the existence of this sanctification among the Greeks and Romans. This could be done through answering a number of questions: Did the Greeks and Romans believe in the idea of the animal sanctification and participate in it? How can one account for the classical elements that appeared in the representations of the animals in art? Were there stelae, statues and dedications made for the sacred animals by the Greeks and Romans? In addition, I will compare the cemetery of Tuna el- Gebel, on the one hand, and the ibis catacomb of Abukir, on the other, to know why the latter was built in Abukir. Thus, I will give a comprehensive study of one of the most important phenomenon in ancient Egypt, the sanctification of the animal.