Temple of Ptah

Just inside the temenos wall on the northern side of the Amen complex is the temple dedicated to the creator god of Memphis, Ptah.  The temple is close up by the northern gate that leads to the Precinct of Montu.  The Ptah temple, called “The Temple of Ptah, South-of-His-Wall in Thebes,” consists of five outer gateways and two inner gates, seven in all, built at different periods.   The gateways show the kings wearing the Red and White crowns of the North and South with the figures appearing on the respective sides of the gateways.  The innermost sanctuary itself is rather small containing a pylon in the name of Tuthmosis III followed by a portico of two columns and a doorway giving access to the three inner shrines.  These shrines are dedicated to

 

Ptah (middle and left) and on the right to Hathor.  The shrine dedicated to Hathor now has a large black granite statue of Sekhmet, Ptah’s consort, intrusively placed in it.  This statue however, is illuminated by a small hole in the roof which gives us a feeling of the primordial nature of these inner shrines.  A headless statue of Ptah himself occupies the center shrine.
Starting at the outermost gate we can observe the seven



Ptah

gateways that give access to the sanctuary of Path.  The first gate shows the cartouches of three Ptolemy’s (VI, XI and XIII) on the interior and exterior faces.  Additionally, on the left hand side, is a depiction of the god Nefertem showing a lotus and two long feathers on his head with the counterpoise weights (a counter weight) of the menat collar, worn by Hathor, at the sides. 
The second and forth gateways are in the name of Pharaoh Shabaka of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty, and show signs of his name having been chiseled out.  It is
evident that the first two gates were constructed to have a lintel, but that the following three are of a different character, having only a cornice and torus moldings atop them.  The third gate, with the name of Ptolemy XIII, is made up of two engaged columns and the fifth gate serves as an entrance way to a portico made up of four columns.   These columns have a curtain wall connecting them together and also connecting to the sixth gate which is located in the pylon.  The height of these columns is about seventeen feet (5.25 meters), and show Ptolemy III wearing the Red and White crowns of Lower and Upper Egypt on the respective

Gates to Ptah’s Sanctuary

north and south sides of the entrance.
The above mentioned sixth gate crosses through the pylon and leads to the seventh which opens on to the central shrine that contains the statue of Ptah.  The center entrance doorway contains the titulary of Tuthmosis III.  The inscription is meant to be read in either direction but always starting from the middle.  On the left side top, starting from the middle we read:  “Live the Horus ‘Strong Bull arising in
Thebes’ the Good God, lord of Doings (ceremonies).  The inscription to the right is read the same.  The second line down, again starting at the mid point:  “Live the King of Upper and Lower Egypt Menkheperre (in cartouche, ‘Enduring is the Form of Re’), beloved of Amen-Re.  To the right side read: 

Titles of Tuthmosis III

“Live the King of Upper and Lower Egypt Menkheperre (beloved of) Amen-Re, lord of heaven.  The third line down, starting from the middle we read:  “Live the Son of Re, Djhwty-ms-nfr-khpr (in cartouche: ‘Thoth is born, beautiful of forms’), Given life and stability, forever.  The inscription to the right is read the same.

Upon entering the portico the two main scenes on the south wall are of Tuthmosis III making an offering of wine (east end of south wall).  Behind him is his Ka; the Ka wears the royal Horus name between the upraised arms on his head.  The Ka also holds the ankh and the feather of Maat in his left hand and a staff with the king’s head in his right.  To the west on the same wall is another scene, this time of Amen, Ptah, Khonsu and Mut.  The royal cartouche in this scene seems to have been re-carved by Horemheb following the Akhenaten period.  Ptah, Khonsu and Mut stand behind Amen on a pedestal that is the hieroglyph for Maat (truth) and Ptah is seen in his usual mummiform style with his hands projecting out from the body.  Above his head the glyphs identify him as “Ptah, lord of Maat, king of the Two Lands, beautiful of face in Thebes.”  Khonsu is identified as “Khonsu-in-Thebes-Neferhotep” and Mut is “Foremost-in-the-house-of-Ptah.”

An interesting scene is found on the north wall of the portico where we see Ptolemy IV offering cosmetics to Ptah, Hathor and Imhotep.  The scene is over a
doorway bearing the cartouche of Tuthmosis III and here Imhotep is identified as the son of Ptah.  In the Ptolemaic period, Imhotep was deified and equated with the Greek god Asclepios.  Imhotep was also considered a great sage.  He of course, was the famed architect of Djoser (Third Dynasty) and is credited with being the builder of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. 

Ptolemy IV Offering to Ptah, Hathor & Imhotep

Within the sanctuary itself, is a wonderful black granite statue of Ptah which is, unfortunately, missing its head.  In front of him there once was a
kneeling figure of which now only the bottom section survives.  In the sanctuary to the south is a statue of Sekhmet.  She is a lion-headed goddess who is the terrible and vengeful aspect of Hathor.  She is bloodthirsty and she is cruel.  In the “Destruction of Mankind” tale, she is the agent of Re that is sent to destroy a rebellious world only to be tricked by a repentant Re with thousands of gallons of blood-colored beer on which she gets drunk and forgets her mission.  Over her head is a small opening that allows sunlight and moonlight to enter, illuminating her statue.  The effect is wonderful to experience.   




Sekhmet