Bronze Statue of Ptah

This bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 of the god 𓊹 Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 from the Third Intermediate Period is striking to see in person not just because of its wonderful state of preservation, but its size as well!

For a bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾, it is quite large! In antiquity, this statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 would have been covered in gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 leaf, and it’s amazing that you can still see some of the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉 on the statue! Imagine how magnificent it would have looked in all gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉! I also love how the eyes 𓁹𓏏𓏦 are still perfectly preserved; they really stand out among the bronze 𓈔𓏤𓈒𓏦 and the gold 𓋞𓃉𓃉𓃉! 

The staff that Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 is holding in his hands is actually a merging of the Djed Pillar 𓊽 and the Was Scepter 𓌀. The hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for Djed 𓊽 means “stability” while the hieroglyph 𓊹𓌃 for the Was Scepter 𓌀 means “strength,” and this staff exemplifies Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 representation of both! 

One of the epithets that follows Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 name 𓂋𓈖 in inscriptions is “The One of Fair Face 𓄤𓁷𓏤𓀭” and I think that description totally fits with how beautiful 𓄤𓆑𓂋 this particular statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 represents him! That epithet could also be translated as “Kindly of Face 𓄤𓁷𓏤𓀭” and can also be written as “𓄤𓆑𓂋𓁷𓏤𓀭.”

Ptah 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 was not created; he existed before anyone else and anything. In short, he was the creator of the other creator gods 𓊹𓊹𓊹, like Atum 𓇋𓏏𓂟𓀭. Due to Ptah’s 𓊪𓏏𓎛𓁱 creativity, he is also the designated god 𓊹 of all forms of craftsman such as carpenters , shipbuilders, potters, metalworkers, and sculptors.

This statue 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓀾 would have been housed in a shrine 𓐍𓊃𓅓𓂜𓉐 and would have received offerings 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 from priests 𓊹𓍛𓏪. 

This is my personal photograph and original text. DO NOT repost. 

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