Bulls

Gods of the Neolithic and later periods often take the form of bulls, a representation of virility and power important both in ancient fertility mythologies and later patriarchal king- dominated cultures. The Egyptian bull deity was Apis. In Iranian mythology the white bull was the first animal of creation, and the god Mithra was identified with the sacrificial bull who died for the good of humanity. His blood, like that of Jesus, became wine and his flesh a source of nourishment. The Indian god Shiva was often accompanied by a bull. The Greek god Zeus took the form of a bull to have his way with and to “fertilize” Europa. Other important bulls are the Bull of Heaven in Sumerian mythology, the Cretan Bull of the Heraklean Twelve Labors, and the great bull of the IrishTain Bo Cuailnge.