Summary
Thoth was the ancient Egyptian god of writing, wisdom, the moon and the measuring of time, shown as a man with the head of an ibis or as a baboon. The Egyptians believed he invented hieroglyphs and served as the scribe of the gods. He recorded the verdict when the hearts of the dead were weighed, healed the Eye of Horus, and was the patron of every scribe. The Greeks later knew him as Hermes Trismegistus.
Who Was Thoth?
Thoth, in Egyptian Djehuty, was the god of everything that needs a careful mind: writing and language, mathematics and measurement, law, magic, science and the calendar. He was also a moon god: the moon measured the months, and Thoth measured all things. His main cult centre was Hermopolis (ancient Khemenu, near modern Minya), where two colossal quartzite baboons of Thoth, set up by Amenhotep III, still stand.
Scribes honoured him by pouring a drop of water from their ink pots before starting work. Read about the scribes and officials he protected in the ancient Egyptian social pyramid.
The Ibis and the Baboon
Thoth had two sacred animals:
- The ibis, a wading bird with a long curved beak, perhaps because the beak resembled a crescent moon, or a scribe’s pen dipping into ink.
- The baboon, which greets the rising sun with loud cries, and which the Egyptians saw as wise and watchful.
Millions of mummified ibises and baboons were offered to him. The underground galleries of Tuna el-Gebel near Hermopolis, and the animal catacombs at Saqqara, held them by the million. Read more in Egyptian mummies and sarcophagi.
Thoth in the Great Myths
- The inventor of writing: he gave hieroglyphs, the “words of the god”, to humankind. See ancient Egyptian symbols.
- The judge of the dead: in the weighing of the heart, while Anubis tends the scales, Thoth writes down the result on his palette.
- The healer of Horus: he restored the eye of Horus torn out by Seth, creating the Eye of Horus.
- The five extra days: in one myth, the sky goddess Nut was forbidden to give birth on any day of the year. Thoth won five extra days from the moon in a game, and on them she bore Osiris, Isis, Seth, Nephthys and Horus the Elder. These became the five feast days that completed the Egyptian calendar of 365 days.
- The messenger and counsellor: he advised Ra, settled disputes between the gods, and acted as their messenger.
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View This TripThoth After the Pharaohs
The Greeks in Egypt identified Thoth with their messenger god Hermes and called Hermopolis “the city of Hermes”. Later writers spoke of Hermes Trismegistus, “thrice-great Hermes”, a legendary sage to whom they credited books of philosophy, magic and alchemy. Through this figure, Thoth’s name lived on in European thought into the Renaissance.
Where to See Thoth in Egypt
| Where | What to see |
|---|---|
| Hermopolis (el-Ashmunein), near Minya | Two colossal baboon statues of Thoth |
| Tuna el-Gebel, near Minya | Catacombs of mummified ibises and baboons, and the tomb of the priest Petosiris |
| Temple of Seti I, Abydos | Finely carved reliefs of Thoth with the king |
| Valley of the Kings | Thoth in the painted scenes of royal tombs |
| Egyptian Museum and Grand Egyptian Museum | Statues of Thoth as ibis and baboon, and scribes’ palettes |
Abydos is on our Dendera and Abydos day tour from Luxor. Meet the other gods in ancient Egyptian gods.
Thoth: FAQ
What is Thoth the god of?
Writing, wisdom, knowledge, magic, the moon and the measurement of time.
Why does Thoth have an ibis head?
The ibis was his sacred bird, possibly because its curved beak looked like the crescent moon or a pen.
What did Thoth do in the afterlife?
He recorded the result when the hearts of the dead were weighed against the feather of Maat.
Who is Thoth in Greek mythology?
The Greeks linked him with Hermes; later writers called him Hermes Trismegistus.
Where was Thoth worshipped?
Mainly at Hermopolis in Middle Egypt, but also throughout the country, especially by scribes.
