![]() Yet Ptah was seen as the ultimate source of the world – and the gods – in Heliopolis. Outside of his home city of Memphis, creation was attributed to other gods. So firm is the association of Ptah with the role of creator that a pillar in Memphis bears an inscription describing him as: “the only unbegotten begetter in the heaven and on the earth…the god who made himself to be god, who exists by himself, the double being, the begetter of the first beginning.” It doesn’t get much clearer than that! In Memphite texts, the present tense is used, indicating the ongoing act of sustaining life. Not satisfied there, he uses his speech (literally “word”) to give life to his creation. He willed the world into existence with the power of his mind, like a great conjuror of celestial proportions. Unlike most Egyptian creator gods, Ptah himself is uncreated, having existed before anyone or anything. Self-Existent Creator Of All Things Bronze statue of Ptah, 4th-1st centuries BC, via The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore The seal ring in the image above reads, “Ptah, (the one with) durable favors” from right to left.Ĥ. Ptah is variously described as “the creator in heaven and earth, who has made all things, the lord of all that is and is not,” “…the father of the sun-god,” “lord of truth,” “father of the fathers of the gods,” “the king of both worlds,” “the god of light which shows everything in its true form,” “the ruler of the sky,” “the beautiful face,” “master of justice,” “master of ceremonies,” “lord of eternity,” “he who listens to prayers,” “ great with love ,” and others listed in the next section. A closer look at his many epithets reveals a more intriguing picture. So high were the praises of this ancient Egyptian god that 19th-century historians were tempted to liken him to the Christian God. Egyptian God Of Many Names Seal ring featuring the inscription: “Ptah the one with durable favors” by Rama, 2007, via Musėe du Louvre, Parisįitting for such an important god worshipped over thousands of years, Ptah possessed numerous epithets, titles, and names that described his roles and characteristics. Nevertheless, the people of Memphis and the surrounding area had the utmost regard for the ancient god.ģ. The vast majority of early texts stem from Heliopolis, where Ra and the closely associated Atum were worshipped. As a result, Ptah is seldom mentioned in writing until much later. Unsung Hero And Protector Of Memphis Temple of Ptah, artist’s reconstruction of ancient Memphis, via The AnkhĪlthough Memphis was the administrative capital for most of Egypt’s early history, few inscriptions have been found in the city from this period. This is remarkable, because his worship extends back to the predynastic period, taking a leading role during the Old Kingdom when Memphis was the capital of Egypt.Ģ. The fact that the Greeks chose to use this name to refer to all of Egypt shows that Ptah and Memphis were extremely important even at this late stage. However, this referred not to Egypt but a temple dedicated to Ptah at Memphis, or to the city itself. The English word “Egypt” comes from the Greek Aἴγυπτoς (Aigyptos), which is believed to derive from the Middle Egyptian ḥwt-ka-ptah, meaning “House of the Soul of Ptah.” The same name was rendered hi-ku-ptah in Late Egyptian and is also the source for the name “Copt.” The three hieroglyphs straight across from Ptah’s face above which resemble a mat, a semi-circle, and a twisted wick read p-t-h (the Egyptian spelling of Ptah) from right to left. ![]() The Canaanites, Hebrews, and Arabs, for example, used variants of Misr or Mitsraim. The Ancient Egyptians used the word k-m-t or kemet to refer to their own land, but outsiders had other names. Ptah And The Source Of The Name ‘Egypt’ Stela of Neferabu depicting Ptah receiving offerings, 19th dynasty, via The British Museum, London ![]()
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