Template:Short description Template:Infobox deity Nefertem (Template:IPAc-en; 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.<ref>Nefertem page at Ancient Egypt: the Mythology retrieved June 21, 2008.</ref> 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: Template:Quote Template:Multiple image 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 Template: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.
GalleryEdit
- Abydos Sokar Nefertem 08.jpg
Nefertem (middle left) depicted with the head of a lion with a falcon and lotus atop his head.
- Egyptian - Nefertem - Walters 541972.jpg
Nefertem, The Walters Art Museum.
- Nefertoum E3502 mp3h8834.jpg
Closeup of a statuette of Nefertem.
- Tête de Toutânkhamon enfant (musée du Caire Egypte).jpg
The Head of Nefertem, found in the Tomb of Tutankhamun.
- Memphis Museum 37.jpg
The Colossal Triad of Memphis, with Nefertem depicted standing at Ptah's right and Sekhmet at his left.
- Memphite Triad on barge.svg
The Memphite Triad on a Solar barque including Ptah, Sekhmet, and Nefertem.