Over a timespan of circa 1400 years, from the New Kingdom to the Ptolemaic Period, at least sixty Apis are attested to have been interred at the Serapeum. The earliest burials are found in isolated tombs, as the cult gained importance underground galleries were dug that connected subsequent burial chambers. One of the cult practices involved the dedication of commemorative stone tablets with dates relating to the life and death of the Apis. This data was crucial for the establishment of an Egyptian chronology in the 19th century CE.

It is part of the Saqqara necropolis, which includes several animal catacombs, notably the burial vaults of the mother-cows of the Apis. The entrance to the Saqqara Serapeion is situated applox. 250 meters south-west of the Mastaba of Ti, approx. 800 meters north-west of the Djoser's Funerary Complex and approx. 1.5 kilometers north-west of the Bubasteion.

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The history of the Serapeum at Saqqara, the unique subterranean necropolis dedicated to the Apis bulls (living manifestations of the god Ptah), spans approximately 1,400 years, offering a continuous chronological record for the region of ancient Memphis. Its origins trace back to the 18th Dynasty (circa 1390 BCE), with evidence suggesting the earliest individual burials occurred during the reign of Amenhotep III. The site underwent a significant transition during the 19th Dynasty when Khaemweset, a son of Ramesses II, established the first major underground gallery system, institutionalizing the site as a royal necropolis for the sacred animals and marking a shift from individual burials to a communal gallery plan.

This practice of rock-cut tunnel interments continued and expanded through the Third Intermediate Period and the Late Period, notably under the 25th and 26th Dynasties, when the monumental "Greater Vaults" were initiated to accommodate increasingly larger sarcophagi. The final developmental phase occurred during the Ptolemaic Period (305-30 BCE), characterized by further gallery extensions that fused traditional Egyptian architectural practices with Hellenistic influences, including the addition of a parallel service tunnel and the relocation of numerous votive stelae. The Serapeum remained a vital religious center until the Roman annexation of ancient Egypt in 30 BCE, after which the site was abandoned and subsequently became filled with sand until its rediscovery by Auguste Mariette in 1850 CE.

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Ptolemaic Tunnel?
The primary development during the Ptolemaic period was the extension of the "Greater Vaults", a long, vaulted main corridor that ultimately reached approximately 200 meters (660 feet) in length, with side chambers designed to house the massive sarcophagi of the deceased sacred bulls.

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Greater Vaults
The "Greater Vaults" of the Serapeum at Saqqara constitute a major subterranean gallery system, initiated during the 26th Dynasty under Pharaoh Psamtik I (664-610 BCE) and subsequently expanded during the Late and Ptolemaic Periods (circa 305-30 BCE) to serve as the primary necropolis for the mummified Apis bulls, divine manifestations of the god Ptah. This extensive, rock-cut corridor, reaching approximately 200 to 350 meters in length, is characterized by a series of large, vaulted side chambers (typically 9 to 11 meters long and 4 to 6 meters wide) designed to accommodate monumental sarcophagi.

These monolithic sarcophagi, crafted from hard stones such as polished granite or basalt and weighing between 60 and 80 tons each, were maneuvered into the confined spaces using sophisticated techniques involving sand ramps, levers, and wooden rollers. The extraordinary precision of the stonework, including internal surfaces finished to a high polish with extremely tight tolerances, contrasts sharply with the crude or absent inscriptions on some Ptolemaic-era examples, a subject of continuing scholarly debate regarding construction methods, logistics, and the site's evolutionary use over a millennium.

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Khabash Sarcophagus
A smaller sarcophagus stands at the entrance of an otherwise unused tunnel. A short text on its lid dates it to year 2 of Khabash (circa 336 BCE), who had led a rebellion against the second Persian occupation. Its lid was found on the floor nearby. Brugsch argued that the two had never been brought together to enclose the deceased Apis. The lid was, however, put on top of the sarcophagus during past restoration works.

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Amasis II Sarcophagus (Year 23)
The sarcophagus of Apis Bull dying in year 23 (inspect) still stands in situ in the Serapeum and is decorated with inscriptions and panelled reliefs. This red granite sarcophagus was dedicated by Amasis II (circa 550 BCE). It is very well crafted, with the exterior of the body being embellished with panelling and a spell of the pyramid texts running round close to the upper edge. The symbols were coloured green, except the white-black Apis sign. Coffer and cover were separated, the latter now rests near the entrance ramp, also bearing an inscription, though no colour remains.

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Roughly Inscribed Sarcophagus
One of the most enigmatic artifacts in the Serapeum is a single colossal granite sarcophagus located in the Ptolemaic section of the "Greater Vaults", near the very end of the main corridor. This massive monolithic box, estimated to weigh around 62 to 80 tons, stands out due to its roughly executed inscriptions and undecorated cover, which contrasts sharply with the refined craftsmanship of other sarcophagi from earlier periods, such as that of Amasis II.

The hieroglyphs, which include spells from the Pyramid Texts, were merely scratched onto the highly polished surface, and the royal cartouches were left empty. Scholars suggest these empty cartouches were a pragmatic measure, intended to be filled in with the reigning monarch's name after the Apis bull's death, potentially dating the sarcophagus to the late Ptolemaic era under Ptolemy XII or Cleopatra VII, just before the Roman annexation of Egypt in 30 BCE. The sarcophagus was never moved into its intended burial chamber, and its unfinished state provides crucial evidence regarding the final years of the Serapeum's operation and the practical challenges of working with such monumental stones.

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Abandoned Sarcophagus
Within the subterranean complex of the Serapeum at Saqqara, a single colossal sarcophagus remains in the access tunnel, having never reached its intended burial chamber in the "Greater Vaults". This unfinished granite monolithic box, weighing approximately 60-80 tons (including its lid), dates to the Late Period, likely around the 26th Dynasty under Pharaoh Khabash or potentially the very end of the Ptolemaic era.

The lid, which was found nearby and later placed atop the coffer during restoration, bears only a short, crudely scratched inscription with empty royal cartouches, in stark contrast to the precise craftsmanship of the box itself. The abandonment of this massive artifact, possibly due to a defect or the sudden end of the relevant historical period (e.g., the Roman conquest in 30 BCE), presents an intriguing subject of study regarding the logistical challenges and practicalities of ancient Egyptian engineering and funerary practices.

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Chamber of Stelae
The "Chamber of Stelae," or more accurately, the area where a large collection of votive stelae was located, is an important part of the Serapeum complex. During the Late and Ptolemaic Periods, stelae were primarily placed in the entrance area and a specific "service tunnel" leading to the Ptolemaic section, rather than being affixed to the walls closing individual burial chambers as in earlier periods.

When the French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette rediscovered the Serapeum in 1850, he found thousands of these commemorative limestone stelae, which had been dedicated by kings (such as Darius I and Psamtik I) and private individuals to the Apis bulls and the gods. These artifacts were a crucial source of data for 19th-century scholars, as the inscriptions detailing the birth, death, and interment dates of the individual Apis bulls helped establish a precise chronology for large portions of Egyptian history. Most of these stelae are now housed in the Louvre Museum in Paris.