Bue Apis, Egyptian granite statue in Benevento, Italy
Bue Apis is a bull figure carved from Egyptian granite positioned at the start of Viale San Lorenzo, where it faces toward the Madonna delle Grazie basilica ahead. The stone shows damage from centuries of exposure, including broken horns and ears that make reading its original form a challenge for visitors today.
The statue was found in 1629 near Casale dei Maccabei and later moved to a spot outside the city walls facing the San Lorenzo gate. Early interpreters believed it honored Roman and Samnite symbols, though the Egyptian origin of its stone suggests a more complex past.
The statue serves as a visible link to the ancient world that once shaped this place, drawing visitors interested in how different civilizations left their mark here. Inscriptions on its base tell the story of how people once understood and explained what they had found.
The location sits along a main street and is easily accessible to anyone walking through the city, making it hard to miss as you move between different neighborhoods. Take time to look closely at the carved surface to spot details that survive despite the stone's wear.
The workers who moved and installed this massive granite block were paid in bread and onions rather than coin, an unusual arrangement that reveals something about daily life and economics of that era. This detail transforms what might seem like a simple construction task into a window onto the past.
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