Thoth (; from grc-koi, Θώθ ''Thṓth'', borrowed from cop, Ⲑⲱⲟⲩⲧ ''Thōout'',
Egyptian: ', the reflex of "
eis like the Ibis") is an
ancient Egyptian deity
Ancient Egyptian deities are the gods and goddesses worshipped in ancient Egypt. The beliefs and rituals surrounding these gods formed the core of ancient Egyptian religion, which emerged sometime in prehistory. Deities represented natural fo ...
. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an
ibis or a
baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was
Seshat, and his wife was
Ma'at. He was the god of the moon, wisdom, writing, hieroglyphs, science, magic, art, and judgment. His Greek equivalent is
Hermes.
Thoth's chief
temple was located in the city of
Hermopolis ( egy,
ḫmnw ,
Egyptological pronunciation: "Khemenu", cop, Ϣⲙⲟⲩⲛ ''Shmun''). Later known as ''el-Ashmunein'' in
Egyptian Arabic, the Temple of Thoth was mostly destroyed before the beginning of the Christian era, but its very large
pronaos was still standing in 1826.
In Hermopolis, Thoth led "the
Ogdoad", a
pantheon of eight principal deities, and his spouse was
Nehmetawy. He also had numerous shrines in other cities.
Thoth played many vital and prominent roles in
Egyptian mythology
Egyptian mythology is the collection of myths from ancient Egypt, which describe the actions of the Egyptian gods as a means of understanding the world around them. The beliefs that these myths express are an important part of ancient Egypti ...
, such as maintaining the universe, and being one of the two deities (the other being Ma'at) who stood on either side of Ra's
solar barque. In the later history of ancient Egypt, Thoth became heavily associated with the arbitration of godly disputes, the arts of magic, the system of writing, and the judgment of the dead.
Name
The
Egyptian pronunciation of ''ḏḥwty'' is not fully known, but may be reconstructed as *''ḏiḥautī,'' perhaps pronounced * or *. This reconstruction is based on the
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic p ...
borrowing ' () or ' and the fact that the name was transliterated into
Sahidic Coptic
Coptic (Bohairic Coptic: , ) is a language family of closely related dialects, representing the most recent developments of the Ancient Egyptian language, Egyptian language, and historically spoken by the Copts, starting from the third-century ...
variously as ''Thoout'', ''Thōth'', ''Thoot'', ''Thaut'', ''Taauto''s (''Τααυτος''), ''Thoor'' (''Θωωρ''), as well as
Bohairic Coptic ''Thōout''. These spellings reflect known sound changes from earlier Egyptian such as the loss of ''ḏ'' palatalization and merger of ''ḥ'' with ''h'' i.e. initial ''ḏḥ > th > tʰ.'' The loss of pre-Coptic final ''y/j'' is also common. Following Egyptological convention, which eschews vowel reconstruction, the consonant skeleton ''ḏḥwty'' would be rendered "Djehuti" and the god is sometimes found under this name. However, the Greek form "Thoth" is more common.
According to Theodor Hopfner, Thoth's Egyptian name written as ''ḏḥwty'' originated from ''ḏḥw'', claimed to be the oldest known name for the
ibis, normally written as ''hbj''. The addition of ''-ty'' denotes that he possessed the attributes of the ibis.
[(Budge ''The Gods of the Egyptians'' Vol. 1 p. 402)] Hence Thoth's name would mean "He who is like the ibis", according to this interpretation.
Further names and spellings
Other forms of the name ''ḏḥwty'' using older transcriptions include ''Jehuti, Jehuty, Tahuti, Tehuti, Zehuti, Techu,'' or ''Tetu''. Multiple titles for Thoth, similar to the
pharaonic titulary, are also known, including ''A'', ''Sheps'', ''Lord of Khemennu'', ''Asten'', ''Khenti'', ''Mehi'', ''Hab'', and ''A'an''.
In addition, Thoth was also known by specific aspects of himself, for instance the Moon god
Iah-Djehuty (''j3ḥ-ḏḥw.ty)'', representing the Moon for the entire month.
The Greeks related Thoth to their god
Hermes due to his similar attributes and functions.
One of Thoth's titles, "Thrice great", was translated to the Greek ('), making
Hermes Trismegistus.
Depictions
Thoth has been depicted in many ways depending on the era and on the aspect the artist wished to convey. Usually, he is depicted in his human form with the head of an
ibis.
[(Budge ''The Gods of the Egyptians'' Vol. 1 p. 401)] In this form, he can be represented as the reckoner of times and seasons by a
headdress of the lunar disk sitting on top of a crescent moon resting on his head. When depicted as a form of
Shu or Ankher, he was depicted to be wearing the respective god's headdress. Sometimes he was also seen in art to be wearing the
Atef
Atef is the specific feathered white crown of the ancient Egyptian deity Osiris. It combines the Hedjet, the white crown of Upper Egypt, with curly ostrich feathers on each side of the crown for the Osiris cult. The feathers are identified as os ...
crown or the
double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt.
When not depicted in this common form, he sometimes takes the form of the ibis directly.
He also appears as a dog-faced
baboon or a man with the head of a baboon when he is A'an, the god of equilibrium. In the form of A'ah-Djehuty he took a more human-looking form. These forms are all
symbol
A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different conc ...
ic and are
metaphors for Thoth's attributes. Thoth is often depicted holding an
ankh, the Egyptian symbol for life.
Attributes
Thoth's roles in Egyptian mythology were many. He served as scribe of the gods,
[(Budge ''Gods of the Egyptians'' Vol. 1 p. 408)] credited with the invention of writing and
Egyptian hieroglyphs.
[(Budge ''Gods of the Egyptians'' Vol. 1 p. 414)] In the
underworld,
Duat, he appeared as an ape,
Aani
In ancient Egyptian religion, Aani is the dog-headed ape sacred to the Egyptian god Thoth. "One of the Egyptian names of the Cynocephalus Baboon, which was sacred to the god Thoth."
The Egyptian hieroglyphic word for "baboon" is '' jꜥnꜥ'' i ...
, the god of equilibrium, who reported when the scales weighing the deceased's heart against the feather, representing the principle of Maat, was exactly even.
The ancient Egyptians regarded Thoth as One, self-begotten, and self-produced.
He was the master of both physical and
moral
A moral (from Latin ''morālis'') is a message that is conveyed or a lesson to be learned from a story or event. The moral may be left to the hearer, reader, or viewer to determine for themselves, or may be explicitly encapsulated in a maxim. A ...
(i.e.
divine) law,
making proper use of Ma'at.
[(Budge ''The Gods of the Egyptians'' Vol. 1 p. 407)] He is credited with making the calculations for the establishment of the heavens, stars, Earth,
[(Budge ''Gods of the Egyptians'' Vol. 1 p. 401)] and everything in them.
The Egyptians credited him as the author of all works of science, religion, philosophy, and magic. The Greeks further declared him the inventor of
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
,
astrology
Astrology is a range of divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of celestial objects. Di ...
,
the science of numbers,
mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
,
geometry,
surveying
Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ca ...
,
medicine,
botany
Botany, also called plant science (or plant sciences), plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "bot ...
,
theology, civilized government, the alphabet, reading, writing, and
oratory. They further claimed he was the true author of every work of every branch of knowledge, human and divine.
Mythology
Egyptian mythology
Egyptian mythology is the collection of myths from ancient Egypt, which describe the actions of the Egyptian gods as a means of understanding the world around them. The beliefs that these myths express are an important part of ancient Egypti ...
credits Thoth with the creation of the 365-day calendar. Originally, according to the myth, the year was only 360 days long and
Nut was sterile during these days, unable to bear children. Thoth gambled with the Moon for 1/72nd of its light (360/72 = 5), or 5 days, and won. During these 5 days, Nut and
Geb gave birth to
Osiris,
Set,
Isis, and
Nephthys
Nephthys or Nebet-Het in ancient Egyptian ( grc-gre, Νέφθυς) was a goddess in ancient Egyptian religion. A member of the Great Ennead of Heliopolis in Egyptian mythology, she was a daughter of Nut and Geb. Nephthys was typically paired wi ...
.
In the central
Osiris myth
The Osiris myth is the most elaborate and influential story in ancient Egyptian mythology. It concerns the murder of the god Osiris, a primeval king of Egypt, and its consequences. Osiris's murderer, his brother Set, usurps his throne. Meanwhile, ...
, Thoth gives Isis the words to restore her husband, allowing the pair to conceive
Horus
Horus or Heru, Hor, Har in Ancient Egyptian, is one of the most significant ancient Egyptian deities who served many functions, most notably as god of kingship and the sky. He was worshipped from at least the late prehistoric Egypt until the P ...
. Following a battle between Horus and Set, Thoth offers counsel and provides wisdom.
History
Thoth was a Moon god. The Moon not only provides light at night, allowing time to still be measured without the sun, but its phases and prominence gave it a significant importance in early astrology/astronomy. The perceived cycles of the Moon also organized much of Egyptian society's rituals and events, both civil and religious. Consequently, Thoth gradually became seen as a god of
wisdom,
magic, and the measurement and regulation of events and of time. He was thus said to be the secretary and counselor of the
sun god
A solar deity or sun deity is a deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it. Such deities are usually associated with power and strength. Solar deities and Sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The ...
Ra, and with Ma'at (truth/order) stood next to Ra on the nightly voyage across the sky.
Thoth became credited by the ancient Egyptians as the inventor of writing (
hieroglyphs), and was also considered to have been the scribe of the underworld. For this reason, Thoth was universally worshipped by ancient Egyptian scribes. Many scribes had a painting or a picture of Thoth in their "office". Likewise, one of the symbols for scribes was that of the ibis.
In art, Thoth was usually depicted with the head of an ibis, possibly because the Egyptians saw the curve of the ibis' beak as a symbol of the crescent moon. Sometimes, he was depicted as a baboon holding up a crescent moon.
During the
Late Period of ancient Egypt, a cult of Thoth gained prominence due to its main center, Khmun (
Hermopolis Magna), also becoming the capital. Millions of dead ibis were mummified and buried in his honor.
Thoth was inserted in many tales as the wise counselor and persuader, and his association with learning and measurement led him to be connected with
Seshat, the earlier deification of wisdom, who was said to be his daughter, or variably his wife. Thoth's qualities also led to him being identified by the Greeks with their closest matching god Hermes, with whom Thoth was eventually combined as Hermes Trismegistus, leading to the Greeks' naming Thoth's cult center as Hermopolis, meaning ''city of Hermes''.
In the
Papyrus of Ani copy of the
Egyptian Book of the Dead the scribe proclaims "I am thy
writing palette, O Thoth, and I have brought unto thee thine ink-jar. I am not of those who work iniquity in their secret places; let not evil happen unto me." Plate XXIX Chapter CLXXV (Budge) of the Book of the Dead is the oldest tradition said to be the work of Thoth himself.
There was also an Egyptian pharaoh of the
Sixteenth dynasty named Djehuty (Thoth) after him, and who reigned for three years.
Plato mentions Thoth in his dialogue, Phaedrus. He uses the myth of Thoth to demonstrate that writing leads to laziness and forgetfulness. In the story, Thoth remarks to King Thamus of Egypt that writing is a wonderful substitute for memory. Thamus remarks that it is a remedy for reminding, not remembering, with the appearance but not the reality of wisdom. Future generations will hear much without being properly taught and will appear wise but not be so.
Artapanus of Alexandria, an Egyptian Jew who lived in the third or second century BC,
euhemerized Thoth-Hermes as a historical human being and claimed he was the same person as
Moses
Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...
, based primarily on their shared roles as authors of texts and creators of laws. Artapanus's biography of Moses conflates traditions about Moses and Thoth and invents many details. Many later authors, from
late antiquity to the
Renaissance, either identified Hermes Trismegistus with Moses or regarded them as contemporaries who expounded similar beliefs.
Archaeology
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities announced the discovery of the collective graves of senior officials and high clergies of the god Thoth in
Tuna el-Gebel in
Minya in January 2020. An archaeological mission headed by
Mostafa Waziri
Mostafa Waziri ( ar, مصطفى وزيري) is the secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities
The Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) was a department of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture from 1994 to 2011. It was the government bod ...
reported that 20
sarcophagi and
coffin
A coffin is a funerary box used for viewing or keeping a corpse, either for burial or cremation.
Sometimes referred to as a casket, any box in which the dead are buried is a coffin, and while a casket was originally regarded as a box for jewel ...
s of various shapes and sizes, including five
anthropoid sarcophagi made of
limestone and carved with
hieroglyphic texts, as well as 16 tombs and five well-preserved wooden coffins were unearthed by their team.
Modern cultural references
Thoth has been seen as a god of wisdom and has been used in modern literature, especially since the early 20th century when ancient Egyptian ideas were quite popular.
*In Croyd by
Ian Wallace (Berkeley Medallion, 1968), Thoth is the father of the Galactic Agent hero, Croyd.
*
Aleister Crowley's Egyptian style
Thoth tarot deck
The Thoth Tarot is an esoteric tarot deck painted by Lady Frieda Harris according to instructions from Aleister Crowley. Crowley referred to this deck as The Book of Thoth, and also wrote a 1944 book of that title intended for use with the dec ...
and its written description in his 1944 book ''
The Book of Thoth'' were named in reference to the theory that Tarot cards were the Egyptian book of Thoth.
*
H. P. Lovecraft also used the word "Thoth" as the basis for his alien god, "
Yog-Sothoth", an entity associated with sorcery and esoteric knowledge.
* Thoth is mentioned as one of the pantheon in the 1831 issue of ''
The Wicked + The Divine''.
* In the 2016 film ''
Gods of Egypt'', Thoth is played by
Chadwick Boseman.
* Thoth is also a recurring character in ''
The Kane Chronicles'' book series.
* Thoth's papyrus plays a central part in the book ''Scroll of Saqqara''.
* Thoth appears in the 2021 comic book series ''God of War: Fallen God'', which is based on the ''
God of War'' video game franchise.
* In the 2002
Ensemble Studios game ''
Age of Mythology
''Age of Mythology'' (''AoM'') is a real-time strategy video game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It was released on October 30, 2002, in North America and a week later in Europe.
A spin-off from the '' ...
'', Thoth is one of 9 minor gods that can be worshipped by Egyptian players.
*Thoth is one of many playable gods in
Hi-Rez Studios'
third-person multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game ''
Smite''.
*In the third part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure:
Stardust Crusaders
is the third story arc of the manga series ''JoJo's Bizarre Adventure'' written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki. The arc was serialized for a little over 3 years. It was serialized in Shueisha's ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from April 3, 1989, ...
, Thoth is a stand in a form of a manga, able to predict the future whose user is Boingo, member of Egypt 9 Glory Gods.
See also
*
Eye of Horus
The Eye of Horus, ''wedjat'' eye or ''udjat'' eye is a concept and symbol in ancient Egyptian religion that represents well-being, healing, and protection. It derives from the mythical conflict between the god Horus with his rival Set, in wh ...
* ''
The Book of Thoth''
*
''The Book of Thoth'' (Crowley)
**
Thoth tarot deck
The Thoth Tarot is an esoteric tarot deck painted by Lady Frieda Harris according to instructions from Aleister Crowley. Crowley referred to this deck as The Book of Thoth, and also wrote a 1944 book of that title intended for use with the dec ...
*
Thout, the first month of the Coptic calendar
*
List of lunar deities
A lunar deity is a deity who represents the Moon, or an aspect of it. Lunar deities and Moon worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. The following is a list of lunar deities:
African
American Aztec mythology
* ...
*
Phaedrus (dialogue)
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Bleeker, Claas Jouco. 1973. ''Hathor and Thoth: Two Key Figures of the Ancient Egyptian Religion''. Studies in the History of Religions 26. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
* Boylan, Patrick. 1922. ''Thoth, the Hermes of Egypt: A Study of Some Aspects of Theological Thought in Ancient Egypt''. London:
Oxford University Press. (Reprinted Chicago: Ares Publishers inc., 1979).
* Budge, E. A. Wallis. ''Egyptian Religion''. Kessinger Publishing, 1900.
* Budge, E. A. Wallis. ''The Gods of the Egyptians'' Volume 1 of 2. New York: Dover Publications, 1969 (original in 1904).
*
Jaroslav Černý. 1948. "Thoth as Creator of Languages." ''Journal of Egyptian Archæology'' 34:121–122.
* Collier, Mark and Manley, Bill. ''
How to Read Egyptian Hieroglyphs: Revised Edition''. Berkeley:
University of California Press, 1998.
* Fowden, Garth. 1986. ''The Egyptian Hermes: A Historical Approach to the Late Mind''. Cambridge and New York:
Cambridge University Press
Cambridge University Press is the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted letters patent by Henry VIII of England, King Henry VIII in 1534, it is the oldest university press in the world. It is also the King's Printer.
Cambr ...
. (Reprinted Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1993). .
* ''The Book of Thoth'', by Aleister Crowley. (200 signed copies, 1944) Reprinted by Samuel Wiser, Inc 1969, first paperback edition, 1974 (accompanied by The Thoth Tarot Deck, by Aleister Crowley & Lady Fred Harris)
External links
*
{{Authority control
Creators of writing systems
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