Memphite Theology
(Creation by Perception and Annunciation)

Atum, whose epithets of , Sole Lord, ,Lord of Totality,
and , He who evolved by himself, indeed describe an initial monad.

Atum's self realization began as Perception, sjA , that was in his heart, which, to the Ancient Egyptians, was the center of emotion and thought.

jnk jr wj qd.n.wj r mrr.j xft jb.j

I am the one who made me. I was fashioned as I wished, according to my heart.

-CT 714

Creation then evolved with his Annunciation, Hw :

aSA xprw m pr m r.j

Developments became many in emerging from my mouth.

-P.Bremner-Rhind

Ultimately, Hu (Annunciation), Sia (Perception) and Heka (Magic) were considered Gods themselves. Sia is second from left, Hu second from right and Heka is damaged, fourth from left.

-Amduat, 6th hour, Temple of Seti, Abydos

The Ancient Egyptians believed that Effective speech was powerful enough to manifest creation. This is one of the definitions of Magic: the ability to manipulate reality from one's will. Atum initiated his own becoming through effective annunciation.

sxprr.n.j Haw.j m Axw.j

I am one who caused my body to evolve with my effectiveness.

-CT 714

jnk jr ntt sxpr nttw

I am one who made that which is and caused to develop that which is not.

Dd.j xpr Hw

When I spoke, Annunciation developed.

-CT V11 145 b-c

The vehicle that causes effective annunciation to have the power of creation is Magic.

jnk jr.n nb wa m prt m r.f

I am one made by the Sole Lord...in eveerrging from his mouth.

-CT 261

xpr m HkA

I evolved as Magic.

-CT 261a

The Memphite Theology takes this concept one step further. The text illustrates Atum's creation and evolution into all things by means of Perception and Annunciation, through the heart (mind) and the tongue (speech) of the Creator God Ptah.

The Shabaka Stone is the definitive account of the Memphite God Ptah's role in Creation as the force that initiates Perception and Annunciation. During Dynasty XXV, King Shabaka found an ancient worm-eaten papyrus in Memphis. This data was transcribed onto a basalt slab, approximately 138 x 93 cm, now in the Bristish Museum. Due to later use as a millstone, the central portions are badly damaged.

King Shabaka was confronted with a divided Kingdom during the Kushite (Nubian) Phase of the Third Intermediate Period. The Kushite kings sought to strengthen their legitimacy by renewing, and associating themselves with, the ancient traditions of the Old Kingdom. Setting up habitation in Memphis, the royal residence and capital during the Early Dynastic Period and Old Kingdom, gave credence to their claims to the Throne. Re-instituting the Memphite Theology was a brilliant strategy of Shabaka.

srr.jn.Hm.f zXA n mAwt m pr jt(j).f ptH rSwt jnb.f

His Majesty wrote this writing anew in the house of his father Ptah, South of His Wall.

js gm.n.Hm.f m jr n tp-aw(y) jw m wnm n Ddfwt nn rx.n.tw m HAt r pH

His Majesty found it as made by the ancestors and eaten by worms and not knowable from beginning to end.

aHa.n (s-r:r.jn.Hm.f) n mAwt nfr m jm(j)-r m Xr-HAt

Then His Majesty wrote it anew better than (good one among) the former

n mrwt Dd rn.f swAh mnw.f m pr jt(j).f ptH rSwt jnb.f

in order that his name be enduring and cause his monuments to live long in the house of his father Ptah, South of His Wall,

m Aw Dt m jr.n sA ra (Shabaka) n (j)t(j).f. PtH Tjnn jr.f dj anx Dt

for the length of eternity as what he, Son of Ra, Shabaka, did for his father Ptah-Ta-tjenen, that he might achieve given-life eternally.

This is an excellent example of the syncretism between Ptah and Ta-tjenen. Ta-tjenen, tA-Tnn(j) means "Land that becomes distinct" and refers to the Primordial Mound, the first matter of creation. An early earth god, Ta-tjenen was the primeval hill upon which the first Lily (Lotus) arose. This first lily was , Nefertum, son of Ptah (Ta-tjenen).

The Shabaka Stone contains three narratives. The first is an account of the judgment between Horus and Seth, with Horus assuming kingship at Memphis. The final describes the justification of Horus on the Throne of his father, Osiris.

The central theme concerns Ptah as Creator.

Line 3: incomplete

ptH pn pw mAT m rn wr Tnn

It is this Ptah who proclaims by the great name : Tjenen

Line 6: Incomplete

wttw sw jn.tm mst psDt

Who begat Atum, who gave birth the Ennead.

Line 52a

ptH wr HAty ns nw psDt

Ptah, the Great, heart and tongue of the Ennead.

Line 53: Incomplete

xpr m HAt m xpr m ns m tit tm

in the heart and in the tongue developed Atum's image.

jw wr aA ptH sanx (n nTrw nb)w kAw.son (j)sk kAw.sn s nbe m HAty pn ns pn

Very great is Ptah who causes (life to all the gods) and their kas as well in this heart and this tongue.

Line 54:

xpr Hrw jm.f xpr Djhwty jm.f m ptH

Horus developed in him as Ptah, Djehuty developed in him as Ptah.

xpr n sxm m jb ns m a(wt nb)

the power of the heart and the tongue developed in all limbs.

ntf m xnt Xt nb m-xt r nb n nTrw nbw r(m)T nb awt HfAt nb anxt

He is pre-eminent in every body, in every mouth of all gods, all people, all flocks, all crawling things that live,

Hr kAt Hr wAD-mdw xt nb mrrt.f

planning and commanding everything he wishes.

psDt.f m-bAH.f m jbHw spwt mtwt Drwt (j)tm ipw

His ennead is before him (in the presence of), in teeth and lips; the seed and hands of Atum.

xpr psDt (j)tm m mtwt.f m Dbaw.f

The ennead of Atum developed through his seed and his fingers.

psDt m Hm pw jbHw spwt m r pn mAT rn n xt nbt pr.n

It is surely that the ennead is in teeth and lips in this mouth proclaiming the name of everything,

pr.n Sw tfnt jm.f (LIne 56) ms.n psDt

for Shu and Tefnut emerged from him (line 56) and gave birth to the Ennead.

mAA jrtj sDm msDrwj njfA fnD TAw sjar n sxr ib

The eyes seeing, the ears hearing, the nose breathing the air cause to rise (ascend) to the will of the heart.

ntf dd(j) pr arqjjt nb jn ns wHm kAAt HAt

It is this that gives to emerge every decision. It is the tongue that repeats what the heart plans.

sw(t) ms nTrw nbw (j)tm psDt.f sk xpr.n js mdw-nTr nb m kAAt (Line 57) HAt wAD ns

Thus, all the gods were born, Atum and his ennead as well. All divine speech developed through the plan (Line 57) of the heart and the command of the tongue.

sw(t) jrr kAw m TAy Hmwswt

Thus were made the ka's, male and female,

jrr DfAw nb Htpt nb m mdwt.tn mrr msD

those who made all sustenance and all offerings through their word and what is loved and what is hated.

Sw(t) dd anx n p(t)r Htp m(w)t n p(t)r Hbnty

Thus life is given to who is peaceful and death to the criminal.

sw(t) irr kAt nb Hmt nb jrt awj Sm rwd

Thus, was made all construction (profession), all craft, the doing of the hands, the going of the feet,

mnm awt mb xft wD.f mdwt n kAAt ib the going to and fro (movement) of every limb according to his command of what the heart plans (thinks)

prrt m ns irrt Awtj n xt nb

and which emerges through the tongue and which promulgates (executes) everything.

xpr.n Dd ir tm sxpr nTrw r ptH tA-Tnn

It happened that it was said "Who makes everything and causes the gods to develop is Ptah Ta-tenen."

(j)s pw ms nTrw pr.n xt-nb jm.f

Thus it is he who gave birth to the gods, everything emerged from him.

m Htpt DfAw pw m (Line 50) Htpt nTrw m xt-nbt nfrt

He is offerings, (Line 50) and sustenence, as offerings of the gods, as every good thing.

sw(t) Dhwtj sjA aA pHtj.f r nTrw

Thus, Djehuty recognized that his (Ptah's)strength is greater than the gods.

sw(t) Htp ptH m-xt jrt.f xt nbt mdw-nTr nb sk ms.n.f nTrw

Thus Ptah was satisfied after making all things and all divine speech as well.

ms.n.f nTrw jr.n.f niwwt grg.n.g spAwt dj.n.f nTrw Hr xAr(w).sn

He birthed the gods, he made towns, he established nomes, he put the gods in their shrines.

Line 60:

srwD.n.g pAwt.sn grg.n.g xmw.sn stwt.sn Dt.sn r Htpt.sn

He provided their loaf-offerings, established their shrines, causing to resemble their bodily form to their satisfaction.

Sw(t) aq nTrw m Dt.sn xt nb m Xt nb m dq nb

Thus the gods bodies enter in all wood, all precious stone, all fruit,

xt mb rd Hr xtw.f (Line 61) xpr.n.sn jm

every thing that grows upon and throughout him. (Line 61) They developed therein.

sw(t) jab.n.f nTrw nbw kAw.sn js Htpy Xnmy m nb tAwy

Thus, he united all the gods and their kas as well, content and united with the lord of the Two Lands (the King).

The Shabaka Stone ultimately establishes Ptah as the means through which the principles of thought (perception) and divine speech (utterance) cause Atum's self-development, the birthing of the Ennead and their uniting within the king, Lord of the Two Lands.

The text is an account of creation by the Word. The heart conceives of the concepts and their forms. The lips and teeth utter the concepts as words which, as hieroglyphic script (the medu-netjer,) are representations of these concepts as form.

sw ms nTrw nbw (j)tm psDt.f sk xpr.n js mdw-nTr nb m kAAt (Line 57) HAt wAD ns

Thus, all the gods were born, Atum and his ennead as well. All divine speech developed through the plan (Line 57) of the heart and the command of the tongue.

Ptah gave the life to the other Gods by means of the heart and of its language. The presence of Ptah is universal in all the Gods, all the people, all the cattle, and also in all the living beings who crawl.

Sw(t) aq nTrw m Dt.sn xt nb m Xt nb m dq nb xt nb rd Hr xtw.f (Line 61) xpr.n.sn jm

Thus, the gods enter their bodies in all wood, all precious stone, all fruit, every thing that grows upon and throughout him. (Line 61) They developed therein.

The Egyptians ordered their Gods in groupings, usually a couple of opposite sex consisting of male and female. When a child was added, the unit became a triad.

Although not mentioned in the Memphite Theology of the Shabaka Stone, as far as we know for much is missing, Sekhmet is the consort of Ptah. The pair had long been worshipped in Memphis before the addition of Nefertum as their child. She is depicted in several papyri and plaques paired with him.

ptH aA rsw(j) jnb.f nb anx wAD was

Ptah the Great, South of His Wall, Lord of Life, Greening (Flourishing) and Dominion.

(In Men-nefer, Ptah was described as "south of his wall" because his earliest temple was situated to the south of the original fortified settlement.)

sxmt aA mr(j) n ptH

Sekhmet the Great, beloved of Ptah

nfrtm xrpt.w tAwy

Nefertum, Who is at the head of (controls) the Two Lands.

Thus, the Memphite God Ptah is the force of creative speech (Annunciation) and thought (Perception) that initiates the manifestation of Atum's Heliopolitan Ennead.

jnk rSwt jnb jtjj nTrw ....jnk js Hw tp r.f sjA jm Ht.f

I am South of His Wall, Sovereign of the Gods...I am Annunciation upon his (Atum's) mouth and Perception in his belly.

-CT 647

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