No. 256Egyptian Traditions

Ptah

π“Šͺπ“π“Ž›π“

Creator and master craftsman of Memphis, who shaped the world by speaking

Ptah is the creator and master craftsman of ancient Memphis, Egypt's first capital. In the Memphite Theology he conceives the world in his heart and brings it forth by speaking, and the gods themselves come from his word. His great temple, Hut-ka-Ptah ('Enclosure of the ka of Ptah'), is believed to be the origin of the name 'Egypt' through the Greek Aigyptos.

Sculptors, builders, architects and metalworkers looked to him as their patron, and he was called 'Ptah who listens to prayers,' to whom ear-stelae were offered. His sacred bull, Apis, lived in his Memphis temple. His creation text survives on the Shabaka Stone, made around 700 BCE; scholars debate how much older the words are. The Greeks identified him with Hephaestus.

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Ptah
Statue of the god Ptah, between 1390 and 1353 BC Egyptian Empire (circa 1550 BC BC. Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

How to recognise Ptah

  1. Mummiform bodyHe stands upright in a tight, enveloping shroud that covers body and legs, leaving only the head and hands free; he has no animal features in any period.
  2. SkullcapA snug cap covers the whole head, with no hair, ears or crown showing, and it is often blue.
  3. Straight beardA short, straight false beard, unlike the curved beard of other gods, was added in the Middle Kingdom.
  4. Triple sceptreHe grips an upright staff that merges the was (dominion), djed (stability) and ankh (life) signs, his key identifying attribute; early images show only the was sceptre.
  5. Broad collarA wide collar with a counterpoise at the back of the neck, sometimes with bracelets, may adorn him.
  6. Maat plinthHe often stands on a base shaped like the hieroglyph for maat, meaning truth or universal order.
  7. Apis bullThe black-and-white Apis bull with special markings, called a manifestation of Ptah, may appear beside him, always smaller than the god.

Names and titles

  • Lord of TruthA title for Ptah shown on the base of the Tutankhamun-tomb statue and on the Met statuette
  • Master CraftsmanPtah as maker of things and patron of sculptors; his high priest was 'chief controller of craftsmen'
  • Ptah Who Listens to PrayersWorshippers left votive ear stelae at his Memphis temple because he was said to hear the people
  • Heart and TongueIn the Memphite Theology he conceives creation in his heart and speaks it into being
  • Beautiful of FaceA traditional epithet of Ptah, recorded in the Cairo Calendar and in modern lists of his titles

Ptah in the shop

Designs of Ptah are being drawn: cute, vintage and a painted portrait.

Sources

  1. Britannica: Ptah
  2. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Collection object 549169
  3. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Collection object 570663
  4. Metropolitan Museum of Art: Collection object 552024
  5. Wikipedia: Ptah
  6. Wikipedia: Shabaka Stone
  7. Britannica: Memphite Theology
  8. Britannica: Apis (Egyptian deity)
  9. Egyptian Museum: Ptah
  10. Tales from the Two Lands: Ptah Through Time and Space
  11. Tales from the Two Lands: Ptah, Maker of Things
  12. Joann Lansberry: Ptah and Tutankhamun
  13. Bristol Museums: Object 83278
  14. Wikipedia: Memphis, Egypt
  15. UCL Digital Egypt: Festival Dates
  16. ANEFest: Festival of Sokar (Egypt)
  17. Academia.edu: The Memphite Theology, its Purpose and Date
  18. Netjeru: Ptah
  19. Egypt Fun Tours: God Ptah
  20. Iseum Sanctuary: The Shabaka Stone and Ptah the Divine
  21. Wikipedia: High Priest of Ptah
  22. Encyclopedia.com: Ptah
  23. arXiv: 1810.06412
  24. World History Edu: Ptah, Myths, Meaning, Symbols

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