Nefertem |
|
|
In Egyptian mythology, Nefertum (also Nefertum, Nefer-Tem, Nefer-Temu) was originally just the young Atum (his name means young Atum), at the creation of the world, who had arisen from the primal waters, in the Ennead cosmogeny. Since Atum was a solar deity, Nefertum represented sunrise, and since Atum had arisen from the primal waters in a lotus bud, Nefertum was associated with the (blue) lotus. Later, as time wore on, Atum became assimilated into Ra (as Atum-Ra), and so it came to be that people regarded Nefertum as a seperate deity. Some of the titles of Nefertem were He Who is Beautiful and Water Lily of the Sun, and a version of the Book of the Dead says Rise like Nefertem from the lotus, to the nostrils of Ra, and come forth upon the horizon each day.
As the power of Memphis grew, their chief god, Ptah, was said to be the original creator, and thus of all the other gods, including any lesser creators, who create the remaining gods having first being created by Ptah. Consequently, the creator aspect of Atum-Ra, namely Nefertum, came to be said to be merely the son of Ptah, rather than the creator proper. As son of Ptah, it was said that either Sekhmet, or Bast, whichever was considered wife of Ptah, was his mother. As a god now only associated with the lotus rather than creation, he became a god of perfume and luck.
In art, Nefertum is usually depicted as a beautiful young man having lotus flowers around his head, although, as the son of Bastet, he also sometimes has the head of a lion or is a lion or cat reclining. Nefertem was associated both with the scent of the lotus flower and its narcotic effect, which in ancient Egypt was used for medical anesthetics. The ancient Egyptians often carried small statuettes of him as good-luck charms.
|
|
|
|
