Ptah and The Light

38 x 26” - Acrylic and tempera on foam board
In Private Collection

What we see as ungainly or mishapen may be correct and exact within another frame of reference. Ptah represents the shape of a dwarf, which to the ancient Egyptians was a sign of celestial importance.

They were treated with considerable respect and could enjoy high social positions. During the 1st Dynasty (c. 3150–2900 BC), dwarfs served and worked directly for the king and royal household, and a number have been found buried in subsidiary tombs around those of the kings. In fact, the rather high proportion of dwarfs in the royal cemeteries of the 1st Dynasty suggests some may have been brought into Egypt from elsewhere.