The cult center of Ptah was at Memphis, one of the older cities of ancient Egypt, and his importance grew as that city became the capital for many dynasties. He was usually depicted as a shaven-headed mummy holding a scepter or working with tools. He may have originally been a fertility god, and for a time was held to be the creator of all gods and religious practices. As other cults and gods rose in importance, he became a protector of the arts and crafts, a shaper of all things. 