Nefertem was the lotus and perfume god, traditionally described as a son of Ptah and Sekhmet.
Nefertem's earliest identity was closely tied to the blue lotus, or Egyptian blue water-lily, that emerged from the primordial waters at creation. He represented the flower's beauty and fragrance as well as the first sunlight rising over the newly formed world. His titles included “He Who is Beautiful” and “Water-Lily of the Sun.”
As part of the Memphite theological tradition, Nefertem became the son of the creator god Ptah and the lioness goddess Sekhmet. Some traditions instead named Bast or Bastet as his mother, so the family relationship can vary across periods and local interpretations.
Artists commonly portrayed Nefertem as a handsome young man wearing a lotus headdress. He could also appear with leonine features. A celebrated example is the wooden “Head of Nefertem,” found in Tutankhamun's tomb, which depicts the young king emerging from a lotus flower. Nefertem's role in fragrance helps explain his association with perfume and pleasant scent.