Nefertem
In this article, we will address the topic of Nefertem from various perspectives, with the aim of providing a comprehensive and enriching vision of this topic that is so relevant today. Along these lines, we will analyze its impact on society, its implications in different areas and the possible solutions or alternatives that can be proposed. Nefertem is a topic that has generated great interest and debate in recent times, so it is essential to explore its different facets to fully understand it. We hope that this article serves as a source of valuable information and a space for reflection and critical analysis about Nefertem.
| Nefertem | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 the Memphite god Nefertem with a water-lily headdress as a symbol of fragrance and beauty. | ||||||
| Name in hieroglyphs |
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| Major cult center | Memphis | |||||
| Symbol | the water-lily, lion (occasionally) | |||||
| Personal information | ||||||
| Parents | Ptah and Sekhmet or Bast | |||||
| Siblings | Maahes (either full or half depending on the mother) | |||||
Nefertem (/ˈnɛfərˌtɛm/; possibly "beautiful one who closes" or "one who does not close"; also spelled Nefertum or Nefer-temu) was, in Egyptian mythology, originally a lotus flower at the creation of the world, who had arisen from the primal waters. Nefertem represented both the first sunlight and the delightful smell of the Egyptian blue lotus flower, having arisen from the primal waters within an Egyptian blue water-lily, Nymphaea caerulea. 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 blue water lily, to the nostrils of Ra (the creator and sungod), and come forth upon the horizon each day.
Nefertem was eventually seen as the son of the creator god Ptah, and the goddesses Sekhmet and Bast were sometimes called his mother. In art, Nefertem is usually depicted as a beautiful young man having blue water-lily flowers around his head. As the son of Bastet, he also sometimes has the head of a lion or is a lion or cat reclining. The ancient Egyptians [specify] often carried small statuettes of him as good-luck charms.
One of the most notable depictions of Nefertem is the Head of Nefertem, a wooden bust depicting a young king Tutankhamun as Nefertem with his head emerging from a lotus flower.
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Gallery
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Nefertem (middle left) depicted with the head of a lion with a falcon and lotus atop his head. -
Nefertem, The Walters Art Museum. -
Closeup of a statuette of Nefertem. -
The Head of Nefertem, found in the Tomb of Tutankhamun. -
The Colossal Triad of Memphis, with Nefertem depicted standing at Ptah's right and Sekhmet at his left. -
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References
- ^ Hart, George (2005). The Routledge Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Routledge. p. 99
- ^ Nefertem page at Ancient Egypt: the Mythology retrieved June 21, 2008.
Further reading
- Morenz, Siegfried; Schubert, Johannes (1954). Der Gott auf der Blume: Eine ägyptische Kosmogonie und ihre weltweite Bildwirkung (in German). Verlag Artibus Asiæ.
