Ptah – Lord of the Sky; Lord of the Two Lands; Lord of Truths; Lord of Sunrise; Father of Fathers; Power of Powers
In the beginning was the word. That phrase is now familiar as the first line of the Gospel of John, but is also familiar to devotees of Ptah, Creator of the World. He is the architect of the universe whose first building blocks were thought and speech. He is a primordial deity from the earliest epochs.
Ptah means the “opener” but not only in the literal sense of opening a window or door. The word was used in the context of carving, chiseling, or engraving, which the Egyptians perceived as opening up the powers of stone or metal. Ptah is the patron of stone and metalworkers. Ptah is the craftsman of the universe. He fashions new bodies for souls in the Next Realm. Ptah was credited with inventing the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony, the ritual expected to reanimate the deceased.
The Greeks and Romans identified Ptah with Hephaestus and Vulcan respectively
ORIGIN:
Egypt
FAVOURED PEOPLE:
Masons, stonecutters, metalworkers, architects, artisans, craftspeople, sculptors, ceramic artists, potters, boat builders
ICONOGRAPHY:
Ptah is portrayed as a bearded man shrouded in a close-fitting garment or as a bearded mummy. He is entirely bound: only his hands project from a front opening. He may wear a menat amulet symbolic of joy, pleasure, and fertility.
ATTRIBUTES:
A scepter that combines several amuletic forms, including an ankh and djed pillar (See Also:Osiris); builder’s tools
Consorts:
Bastet, Sekhmet, and/or Wadjet.
Jewel:
Lapis lazuli
PLANET:
Sun
Sacred site:
Memphis, Egypt
CREATURES:
Rats
SEE ALSO:
- Anubis
- Bastet
- Hephaestus
- Nefertem
- Osiris
- Sekhmet
- Vulcan
- Wadjet
- Egyptian Mythology
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses – Written by : Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.