Story · Ancient Egyptian Religion · 2 chapters

The Memphite Creation (Ptah)

In the Memphite tradition (preserved in the 'Memphite Theology'), Ptah is the self-created first god. He created the world 'in his heart and with his mouth' — by thought (the heart) and by speech (the mouth), naming things into existence [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic. This is a distinct creation account from the Heliopolitan and Hermopolitan traditions [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.

CASTPtah
historical religion

Ancient Egyptian religion spanned three millennia. There is no single 'official' version: Heliopolitan, Memphite, and Hermopolitan creation traditions coexisted and are presented in parallel, not merged into a genealogy that never existed.

⚠ Scholars disagree

The Memphite Theology is a late (Saite period) text that reinterprets Ptah as the supreme creator [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.

CHAPTER 01

Ptah, the Self-Created

Ptah is the first god, self-created [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
Sources[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic
CHAPTER 02

Creation by Heart and Mouth

He thinks (heart) and speaks (mouth) the world into being [S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic.
Sources[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic
Primary sources[S4]S4 · Hornung, 'The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Dead' / 'Nile Religion' (academic)modern (translation & scholarship)academic