Nefertem’s Family Tree

About Nefertem →

Family

• Ptah(parent),Sekhmet(parent),Maahes(sibling)— Marriage

  Ptah and Sekhmet, the divine couple of Memphis, bore the lotus god Nefertem and the lion-headed war god Maahes — beauty and violence sprung from the union of the master craftsman and the fierce lioness.

  ⚠ Lower Egyptian traditions, particularly at Bubastis, name Bastet rather than Sekhmet as the mother of both Nefertem and Maahes, reflecting the theological overlap between the two lioness/cat goddesses.

Member of

• Memphite Triad

  The Memphite Triad — Ptah, Sekhmet, and Nefertem — formed the ruling divine family of Memphis, their cult centered at the great temple of Ptah where craftsman, warrior, and lotus god were worshipped as one household.

Associated with

• Book of the Dead

  Book of the Dead Chapter 81 contains a spell for transformation into a lotus, invoking Nefertem's regenerative power as the deceased seeks rebirth like the flower that opens anew each dawn.

• Ra

  Pyramid Texts declare 'Nefertem is the lotus at the nose of Ra,' identifying the lotus god with the fragrant flower the sun god held to his face each morning to revive himself for the new day.