Ptah

In Ancient Egypt, Ptah was considered to be the god of craftsmen, rebirth and creation. It is said he created most of the universe, that he brought most things, even the other gods, into existence. His centers of worship were Memphis and Heliopolis. In legend he was married to Bast, Wadjet or Sekhmet.

He is normally depicted as a mummified man, his hands stretching forth from his shroud clasping a scepter that is adorned with symbols meaning life, stability and power. Chief among them is the ankh. He has the beard of the pharaohs, is wearing a skull cap and is one the few human Egyptian gods.

Creator

In some legends he was the third greatest god, both the creator god and god of craftsmen, engineers, stone masons, architects etc. etc. He being third only to the god of the sun Ra and the hidden god Amen. The universe was brought into existence by him using words of power and by him thinking and visualizing things in his mind, or as the Ancient Egyptians believed - his heart.

One can truly understand just how important he was when told how that the name Egypt, is in fact of the Greek, "Het-Ka-Ptah," which translates as, "House of the Spirit of Ptah." He was god of craftsmen and protected them. After his deification, Imhotep was connected to him as one of his sons. In life he was his HIgh Priest, and was a famous craftsmen and engineer.

Rebirth

He was also related to rebirth, something which dates back to Old Testament times. He was believed to have invented the Opening of the Mouth ceremony ritual, which was a ritual which allowed the dead to see, hear, speak and eat in the afterlife. This may explain why he is depicted as a mummified man.