Who is Ptah God of

This deity was believed to play the most important role in the creation of everything. Thus his first identity is God of creation. There were some alternative names of Ptah such as Pteh, Peteh etc in which he was also known in ancient Egypt. He was believed to be the son of Nun; primaeval god.

ptah-creator-god

According to the mythology of creation of Memphis version or Memphite Theology, it was believed that everything came to be created because of him. While defining the process of how he created everything, there are two different versions of stories. According to one, by the wish of his heart, he created everything.

Another version says that he spelt the name of everything he wanted to create. While considering this mythology, Ptah seems to be more powerful than sun god, Atum or later Ra. This mythology also shows that Ptah created Atum along with other deities of the ‘Great Ennead of Heliopolis’ such as Shu, Tefnut, Nut, Geb, Osiris, Isis and Nephthys.

God of Craftsmanship

Another identity of Ptah is that he is the god of all artisans, craftsmen as the first creation came from his side. He was deeply associated with the groups of craftsmen of Deir-el-Medina; who were employed in the construction of massive structured royal tombs at Valley of Kings.

God of Afterlife

It was also believed that he designed the bodies for the resting place of the soul afterlife. In this aspect, he also came to be known as the god of funerary practices, afterlife and underworld, Ptah-Sokar-Osiris; an assimilated deity who was formed in later time.

By the time, the first assimilation was between Ptah and Sokar; the funerary god of Memphis. Later this god was absorbed into Osiris and came to be known as ‘Ptah-Sokar-Osiris’.

Ptah Family Tree

While discussing the divine family of Ptah, there is an interesting fact. It is that in the mythology of Memphis, Ptah was considered as the husband of Sekhmet; the goddess of sun and war while in the other mythologies, he is considered as the husband of Wadjet; the patron goddess of Lower Egypt.

But the former mythology was given more importance in ancient Egypt as Ptah was the central area of the mythology of Memphis. Here his son also came to be known; Nefertum; the god of medicine and perfume.

Memphis Triad

Ptah along with his wife Sekhmet and son Nefertum has known altogether as the ‘Memphis Triad’. It was believed to be the lower Egyptian counterpart of the ‘Thebes Triad’; a religious system of Atum. Mut and Khonsu altogether.

ptah-sekhmet-nefertem

Great Architect Imhotep

The great virtue of Ptah can be seen in the belief where he adopted Imhotep; the first architect, engineer and craftsman. Imhotep was the chief priest of the court of Pharaoh Djoser.

imhotep-great-architect

He erected the step pyramid of Saqqara for Pharaoh Djoser. He also contributed to the medicinal system of ancient Egypt. He was given divine status thousands of years after his death. It was believed that Imhotep was blessed by Ptah.

Cult Centers

The major cult centre of Ptah was obviously the city of Memphis as he came out of the Memphis based mythology. In fact, according to many scholars, the name of Egypt itself is based on the Greek form of ‘Hut-Ka-Ptah’ that is ‘the temple of the ka of Ptah’.

There is archaeological evidence of the great temple complex of Ptah at Memphis which indicates his dominance over a long time. The city of Memphis was founded by Pharaoh Menes around 3000 B.C.E. It was located on the west bank of river Nile in around 20 km south of the present capital city of Egypt; Cairo.

Later, when Memphis became the administrative capital of unified Egypt during the reigning era of the Old Kingdom, Ptah became the most influential god and came to be worshipped throughout the whole of Egypt.

The emergence of Memphite Mythology

While the power of whole Egypt centred in Memphis, the priest class developed the mythology of creation showing the god of their city, Ptah the supreme of everything. This shows the political necessity of developing such a mythology which can promote the greatness of the then capital of Egypt to the mass of Egypt.

This mythology of creation the example of most intellectual creation myth not only in the context of Ancient Egypt but also in the context of the whole of the world.

Iconography

In iconographic representation, Ptah is depicted in anthropomorphic form wrapped like a mummy. He wears a skull cap. Later he is also depicted wearing a distinctive straight type beard which indicates his dominance over the mortal as well as the afterlife.

ptah-creator

He is also depicted wearing either a large tassel or broad collar. He is usually depicted standing on a narrow flinth like one or upon a stepped dais. Frequently he is depicted within an open shrine.

‘Apis Bull’ was another iconographic symbol of Ptah while it was in living status. Apis Bull was regarded as the soul of Ptah.

apis-bull-soul-of-ptah

The significance of God Ptah

The significance of Ptah cannot be completed in one sentence. On one hand, he became the supreme creator and his dominance over Osiris by the time reflect the change in political thought.

It also reflects the necessity as well as the increase in the number of craftsmen and artisans in ancient Egypt, who were responsible for the formation of massive art and architecture of ancient Egypt.

The association of Ptah with the groups of craftsmen of Deir el-Medina; who constructed the royal tombs in the Valley of Kings can be an honourable mention here. These factors indicate the growing popularity of Ptah among the masses of ancient Egypt.

Presence of this deity in several temples such as Abu Simbel, el-Derr and Gerf-Hussein indicates his geographical extension in Egyptian Nubia also. Ptah also played an important role in the funeral ceremony such as ‘opening of the mouth’ ceremony in ancient Egypt.