Memphite teachings concerning Ptah were discovered on
a STELA, which explained the cosmogony and the cult of
the region. According to these tenets, Ptah was the only
true god, the creator, and all spiritual beings, divine or
human, emanated from his will. The creation deities wor-
shiped in other cities were supposed to have been devised
by Ptah. This deity was also the source of the ethical and
moral orders in the world, and he was called “the Lord of
Truth” in all historical periods. He was deemed capable of
bringing forth life with words, as the tongue announced
what the god’s heart experienced.
Memphis, the cult center of Ptah, was called Hiku-
Ptah, or Hat-Ka-Ptah, the mansion of the soul of Ptah.
Statues and reliefs depicting the god showed him as a
man with very light skin, sometimes green, mummy
wrappings, and an immense collar with the menat.Most
depictions of Ptah were designed as pillars, emblems of
justice. Called the First of the Gods, Ptah was a patron of
the great architectural monuments of the Old Kingdom
(2575–2134 B.C.E.).
As TATENENhe was revered as the creative urge, both
for the world and for the individual works of art. Also
called Hetepi and Khnemi, Ptah was associated with the
chaos that existed before the moment of creation, and
was then called Ptah-Nun. When associated with the
Nile, the deity was worshiped as Ptah-Hapi; with the
earth as Ptah-Tenen; and with the solar disk, called Ptah-
Aten. The deity was also honored in the great complexes
of AMUNin THEBES.
Ptah-hotep (1)(fl. 24th century B.C.E.) Vizier of the
Fifth Dynasty
Ptah-hotep served IZEZI(r. 2388–2356 B.C.E.) as VIZIER.
He was buried alone in a tomb in SAQQARA, north of the
STEP PYRAMIDof DJOSER. His grandson was PTAH-HOTEP
(2), the celebrated sage.
Ptah-hotep (2) (Tehefi)(fl. 24th century B.C.E.)Offi-
cial and a famous sage of the Fifth Dynasty
He served Unis (r. 2356–2323 B.C.E.) with his father, Ak-
hethotep, as a VIZIER, but he was also esteemed as a popu-
lar sage in his era. The MAXIMS OF PTAH-HOTEPare found in
the PRISSE PAPYRUS. One copy is in the Louvre in Paris, and
a second copy is in the British Museum in London.
He exhorted his fellow Egyptians to conduct their
affairs with quietude and righteousness. Ptah-hotep also
urged them to be truthful and to treat their neighbors and
fellow countrymen with kindness and tolerance. He was
especially concerned with the weak and oppressed. Ptah-
hotep’s Maximsremained popular in all ages of Egypt’s
history as they provided demonstrations of the spirit of
ma’at, the cohesive social and ethical standards that
maintained order and stability.
He was buried in the mastaba of his father in
SAQQARA. His tomb had pillared halls, corridors, and sep-
arate burial chambers. Ptah-hotep is depicted there wear-
ing the panther skin of a high priest. Other paintings por-
tray an entire day’s activities, including children at play.
An anonymous mummy shared Akhethotep’s tomb as
well.Ptahshepses (1)(fl. 25th century B.C.E.)Official of the
Fourth Dynasty
He served SHEPSESKHAF(r. 2472–2467 B.C.E.) in varying
court roles. Ptahshepses was raised in the royal palace
and married KHAMA’AT, the daughter of Shepseskhaf. He
was buried in SAQQARA, and the FALSE DOOR of his
mastaba gives an account of his career.Ptahshepses (2)(fl. 25th century B.C.E.)Official of the
Fifth Dynasty
He served SAHURÉ(r. 2458–2446 B.C.E.) as superinten-
dent of royal works. Ptahshepses’ mastaba was discovered
in ABUSIR, near Sahuré’s pyramidal complex. This tomb
had an entryway, a colonnaded court with 20 pillars, a
portico, and a hall with niches. Portraits of Ptahshepses
and his wife are part of the decorations. Two officials in
the 50th year of the reign of RAMESSES II(1290–1224
B.C.E.) entered this tomb and left graffiti on the walls.Ptah-Sokar-Osiris figurines They were tomb images
prized for magical powers and designs and used as
SHABTIS.Fashioned normally out of wood, the figures
were painted or gilded and then fastened to rectangular
bases. These bases had two cavities, one in front and one
at the side. The front cavity held a small piece of the
deceased, which was then covered by the hawk-like
SOKARfigure. The side cavity held written prayers. The
god PTAHwas the guardian of all created substance, and
OSIRISand Sokar were patrons of the deceased of Egypt.Ptolemaic script It was the hieroglyphic form (demo-
tic) used in the Ptolemaic Period (304–30 B.C.E.), insti-
tuted by that dynasty. The form was characterized by
letters or signs well shaped and placed in the epigraphic
or inscription style.
See also LANGUAGE.Ptolemais (1)(fl. fourth century B.C.E.) Royal woman
of the Thirtieth Dynasty
She was the consort of NECTANEBO I(r. 380–362 B.C.E.)
and the daughter of an Athenian mercenary general
named KHABRIAS, who was in Egypt serving Hakoris (r.
393–380 B.C.E.). Ptolemais probably married Nectanebo I
when he was a general of Egypt’s armies, known then as
Nakhtnebef. She was the mother of TEOS.Ptolemais (2) An ancient coastal city of Cyrenaica,
now modern Libya, PTOLEMY III EUERGETES I(r. 246–221Ptolemais 313