An ancient creator God of Egypt, Ptah is deity of creativity, artists, crafters, architects, sculptors, stone masons, metal workers and metallurgy. He's one of the patron triad of deities at Memphis (Giza), Egypt, with his wife Sekhmet and son Nefertum.
See also:
Ptah conceives the world and brings it into being with the creative power of speech. A hymn to Ptah dating to the 22nd Dynasty of Egypt (950 - 730 BCE) says the creator God "crafted the world in the design of his hear."
His son is Nefertum, meaning 'one who sees beauty'. Blue lotus flower is associated with him. Ptah is wed to Sekmet, warrior goddess and deity of medicine. Nertum and Sekhmet hold Ankhs, symbols of divine life essence especially sacred to Ptah, who holds the ankh in his staff. On their heads, Sekhment wears a solar disc, Nefertum a stylized lotus flower.
See also:
Solar barques are made of gold which is associated with the Sun and the golden life essence. Initially the God Ra had a solar barque with which to traverse the sky and Underworld in day and night aspects. Soon the solar barque became popular among the other Gods too.
As a creation God Ptah is particularly invoked by metalworkers and blacksmiths. At the same time Ptah stirs fear, associated with rumbles and tremors and cracks in the crust of the Earth. Also in his Tatenen form as a young man, Ptah is master of ceremonies for the festival of Heb Sed, celebrating the first thirty years of a Pharaoh's reign.
See also:
Also in his Tatenen form as a young man, Ptah is master of ceremonies for the festival of Heb Sed, celebrating the first thirty years of a Pharaoh's reign.
The Shabaka Stone, containing significant texts from Twenty-Fifth Dynasty Egypt (747 - 656 BCE), says Ptah "gave life to all the gods and their kas as well, through this heart and this tongue." Many epithets are given to him, including
Ptah the begetter of the first beginning
Ptah lord of truth
Ptah lord of eternity
Ptah who listens to prayers
Ptah master of ceremonies
Ptah master of justice
Ptah the God who made himself to be God
Ptah the double being
Ptah the beautiful face
Like most powerful deities Ptah has the attributes of shape-changing and disguise. He sometimes appears as a naked dwarf. In other depictions he's old and gnarled with green skin. His shroud sticks to him. He might also appear as a beggar or rag-picker.
See also:
In his godly form, Ptah wears the divine beard, the characteristic of Gods and Pharaohs. A false beard, it's also worn by female Pharaohs, being a distinction of rank. The Pharaoh has to appear among the people clean-shaven. The false beard in art is a link to divinity and rightful rule.
In the below relief, Ptah is the first God in succession, followed by Hathor and Imhotep. The three symbols at top of his scepter relate to three important aspects. Each object is sometimes depicted separately, held by Ptah as symbols of office.
See also:
The three parts of Ptah's Scepter from top down:
The Was sceptre, a symbol appearing often in relics, art, and hieroglyphs associated with ancient Egyptian religion. It's usually a stylized animal head atop a long staff with forked end.
The sign of life, Ankh or key of life, ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol representing the word for "life" and as a symbol of life itself.
The Djed (Djt) pillar, a long staff or pillar representing stability.
The three combined symbols relate to the three creative powers of the god: power (was), life (ankh) and stability (djed). From the Old Kingdom (2700 - 2200 BCE), Ptah absorbs the look and functions of senior Underworld gods Sokar and Tatenen.
See also:
Sokar and Tatenen are ancient deities of the Memphis region. They're both associated with the Land of the Dead. Sokar is especially linked to the Memphis Necropolis also called the Necropolis of Saqqura, from the name of the God Sokar. Boundaries with Ptah are hazy. These gods overlap in regions of worship and once more form a sacred trinity.
Ptah's form of Sokar has remnants of his white shroud. He wears the Atef crown, below, a symbol of Osiris, the primary Underworld god. In this capacity, he represents the patron deity of the Necropolis of Saqqara and other famous sites of royal pyramids.
See also:
The Gods come together as the trinity of Ptah-Soker-Osiris. Figurines of the trio are widely made and sold. The figurines were placed in graves for luck or protection. The Egyptians had not just graves but entire cities of the dead. A God of Life also honored in the Afterworld, Ptah shows not just duality but wholeness.
As a creation God Ptah is particularly invoked by metalworkers and blacksmiths. At the same time Ptah stirs fear, associated with rumbles and tremors and cracks in the crust of the Earth.
See also:
Ptah is likewise equated with Sun deities Re (Ra) or Aten as a giver of life. In the Ptolemaic era (c. 330 BCE) his symbols include two birds with human heads and solar disks, the Ba.
Ba birds can leave the burial chamber on behalf of the deceased, but must always return to reconnect with the tomb. Ba translates to personality, as entwined with the physical, spiritual and self-identifying parts of the soul.
See also: