Who the God Nefertem was

Nefertem was believed to be the youthful god of the lotus blossom. According to ancient Egyptian myths, this lotus rose from the primaeval waters. He was also known to be the god of perfumes.

nefertem-god-of-perfume-and-blue-lotus

What does the Name ‘Nefertem’ Mean

The name of the god ‘Nefertem’ means young Atum or beautiful Atum or perfect Atum. This is the reason for which sometimes Nefertem is considered to represent the young form of Atum or in another way he may have been considered to be an aspect of Atum who is known to be the creator-solar deity in Heliopolitan theology. His name also used to be spelt as Nefertum, Nefer-Tem, Nefer-Temu etc.

Nefertem & Blue Lotus

Previously the association of Nefertem with Lotus has been mentioned. More specifically said, he has a close association with the blue variety of rose which is scientifically known as Nymphaea cerulea. It was believed that Sun god Atum had risen in the primaeval water in the form of the sprout of an Egyptian blue lotus.

This may have been the reason for which Nefertem has titles such as ‘Water-lily of the sun’. Although, lotus was not there in Egypt until the time of the Persian invasion. Because of his association with Atum, Nefertem was also believed to represent sunrise.

Triad of Memphis

Triad of Memphis refers to the group of deities include Ptah, Sekhmet and Nefertem. Triad of Memphis was mainly formed to emphasize on the Memphite version of theology and was widely honoured at the region of Memphis. Here, Nefertem is believed to be the son of Ptah and Sekhmet.

triad-of-memphis-ptah-sekhmet-nefertem

Iconography of Nefertem

The standard iconographic representation of Nefertem is in an anthropomorphic form where he is depicted as a male god wearing a lotus blossom upon his head. Sometimes this lotus is augmented by two upright plumes. Sometimes, he is also depicted as a lion-headed god or standing on the back of a lion.

Nefertem
wooden-head-of-nefertem-from-the-tomb-of-tutankhamun

Sometimes, Nefertem may be represented as a child seated n a lotus blossom. This iconography indicates his association with the primaeval creation myths. He generally wears a short skirt and may hold a khepesh sickle sword.

Association With Other Deities

Nefertem is a god whose identity is not restricted to the boundary of Memphis Theology. His association with other deities not only indicates his wide acceptance but also refers to his important role in the popular religion.

Nefertem was also believed to be the son of the Cobra goddess Wadjet as well as the son of the feline goddess Bastet. In late times, he was also closely associated with Horus; sometimes these two deities were also depicted as a merged deity.

Cult of Nefertem

Nefertem was widely worshipped but was feared by ancient Egyptians as the son of fearsome Sekhmet. He was considered potentially harmful to children. Some Amulets of Third Intermediate Period support this aspect f Nefertem; although amulets of the same period also show some of his protective nature as well.