Ptah

Introduction

In the religion of Egypt, Ptah was regarded as the creator of things and a patron of sculptors. According to the Greeks, he was associated with the divine blacksmith Hephaestus. Ptah was initially the local deity of the city of Memphis, which was the capital of Egypt during the 1st dynasty. Because of its political importance, his cult expanded throughout the country. He was often joined with other deities such as Soker and Osiris to form Ptah Seker-Osiris. Nefertem and Sekhmet were his companions in the Memphite Kingdom. Apis was a sacred bull that lived in the temple of Ptah in Memphis. He was regarded as a manifestation of the god of oracles.

Physical Traits

Like other ancient Egyptian deities, he can be depicted in various ways. He can sometimes be portrayed as a dwarf, a naked and deformed person, or a man in a mummy-type pose. His popularity grew during the Late Period.

Ptah was typically depicted as a man with green skin and wearing a shroud that was sticking to his body. He was also holding a sceptre, which was a powerful symbol of Egyptian religion. In addition, he was depicted wearing a divine beard and holding a Djed pillar.

Family

He was the father of Nefertem and the husband of Sekhmet. He was also known as the father of Imhotep.

Other names

He was often referred to as the “begetter” of the first generation, the “lord of truth,” the “master of ceremonies,” the “king of eternity,” the “king of justice,” the “God who made himself God,” the “double being,” and the “beautiful face.” His role in ancient Egypt and the importance of religion were detailed in various epithets.

Powers and Abilities

Ptah is believed to have created the world through the power of speech. A song from the Twenty-Second Dynasty states that he designed it through his heart, while a Shabaka Stone song from the Twenty-fifth Dynasty claims that he gave life to the gods through his tongue and heart.

As the patron of Memphis and the god of architecture and craftsmen, Ptah is regarded as a highly skilled blacksmith or sculptor who made various types of objects, such as metal, stone, and wood. He is also related to Imhotep and Nefertem, who are both linked to wisdom and healing. The funerary deity Ptah is believed to have opened the mouth of the deceased, allowing them to communicate and eat in the afterlife. He is often linked with the gods Sokar and Osiris.

Modern Day Influence

In Assassin’s Creed Origins, Ptah is featured as a god that Bayek can fight in the game’s Trials of the Gods mode. He is depicted as a massive stone statue with a staff and a shield. In Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Ptah is mentioned as a god who came to the US with the immigrants. It’s believed that Ptah worked as a car mechanic in Tennessee before he vanished.

In the animated series, Futurama, he is one of the Egyptian gods who was brought back by Bender after he became a pharaoh. He is seen as a green-skinned individual with a staff and a metal coat. He helps Bender build a massive pyramid, which can be launched into space.