 The alabaster sphinx that guards the Temple of Ptah serves as a memorial of the city's former power and prestige.The Memphis triad, consisting of the creator god Ptah, his consort Sekhmet, and their son Nefertem, formed the main focus of worship in the city.Memphis declined after the 18th Dynasty with the rise of Thebes and the New Kingdom but was revived under the Persians, before falling firmly into second place following the founding of Alexandria.