The Mythological Craftsman ― Part I, Ancient Egypt

Ptah - God of Craft & Craftsmen

“Take advice from the ignorant as well as from the wise, since there is no single person who embodies perfection nor any craftsman who has reached the limits of excellence.” ― Ptahhotep, 25th century BC

In the culture of every great civilisation there is certain to be found a cosmology, that is to say a story or an account of the physical creation. For ancient Egypt this cosmology surrounds the god Ptah. The name "Egypt" derives from "was hwt ka Ptah (the temple of the Ka of Ptah)." This alludes to the primacy within the Egyptian pantheon of, "Ptah, who gave life to all the gods and their kas (souls) through his heart and through his tongue." Essentially, Ptah spoke the world into existence from out of his heart which for the ancient Egyptians was considered the centre of intellect and reason. This clearly is analogous to the ancient Greek and early Christian concepts of the Logos or Word that was instrumental in material creation.

So what kind of god was he? Well, the name "Ptah" is thought to mean "to sculpt" and in one ancient invocation the supplicant begins by hailing him as "great Ptaḥ, creator of crafts, sculptor of earth." Furthermore, Ptah is described in the Book of the Dead as “a master architect, and framer of everything in the universe.” So although Ptah was considered a supreme deity, he was likewise regarded in ancient Egypt as having quite particular attributes as a god of the arts, crafts, and architecture. His very first creation was the god Atum, associated with the sun, illumination, and out of which everything else came into being. Atum was "self-engendered" that is to say he came out of Ptah, being a mode or manifestation of him. The Ka of Atum/Ptah is metaphorically described as semen, seeds that permeate and animate all of creation. Once again, analogies with the "logos spermatikos" of the Stoics and early Christians are readily apparent. Atum fashioned everything out of chaos represented as primeval waters or alternatively as the world serpent both being just further manifestations of Atum, making him at once creator and creation.

The City of Makers

Djoser's mortuary complex, Saqqara

There naturally arose a huge cult surrounding Ptah in Lower Egypt, centred at Memphis where numerous temples were erected and dedicated to his worship. Imhotep was a commoner that entered temple service as a priest of Ptah who displayed exceptional ability and rose to prominence as vizier and chief architect of the Pharaoh Djoser. Under his reign the first great pyramid was erected at nearby Saqqara, just outside the city; the step pyramid was part of a larger mortuary complex. Constructed in the 27th century B.C., it is the oldest such stone masonry complex known to exist. The pharaohs claimed their authority as descendants of Atum. Upon death their hope was to have the divine seed, the Ka within them reunite with Atum/Ptah. Eventually, Imhotep rose to the position of high priest of Ptah. As such he was bestowed the title "wer-kherep- hemutiu" translated as, "the great director of the craftsmen" thus earthly representative of Ptah. After his death Imhotep was deified as a demi-god, a literal son of Ptah.

Deir el Medina, City of Makers

Interestingly, another cult centre surrounding Ptah arose hundreds of years later near Luxor in Upper Egypt during the 16th century B.C. Deir el Medina was a small city of craftsmen that had been founded for construction of royal and aristocratic tombs in the nearby Valley of the Kings. The ancient name of the city was Set Maat meaning "place of truth." The craftsmen living there were highly skilled freemen who were largely literate. Much of what we know concerning the daily life of common Egyptian people living at that time comes from archaeological discoveries of written accounts by craftsmen discovered at Deir el Medina. During this period another priest-architect arose to great prominence, Amenhotep, son of Hapu. Like Imhotep, he too was deified as a demi-god son of Ptah after his death. So revered was Amenhotep by the craftsmen of Deir el Medina that he had chapels constructed and dedicated to him at the local Temple of Hathor as well as the nearby Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari.

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari

In our next essay in the series I expect that we'll find some pleasant parallels with what we've discovered here in Egypt as we explore how art, craft, and architecture are similarly woven into the cosmology and mythological accounts of the ancient Greeks.


Contributed by Patrick Webb