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. The beliefs that these myths express are an important part of ancient Egyptian religion. Myths a...
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Thoth (Tehuty, Djehuty, Tahuti, Tehuti, Zehuti, Techu, Tetu) was one of the earlier Egyptian gods. He was popular throughout Egypt, but was particularly venerated in Khnum (Hermopolis Magna) where he was worshipped as part of the Ogdoad. As the power of his cult grew, the myth was rewritten to make Thoth the creator god. According to this variant, Thoth (in the form of an ibis, one of his sacred animals) laid an egg from which Ra (Atum, Nefertum, or khepri) was born. Other myths suggest that Thoth created himself through the power of language (in an interesting parallel to the phrase in the Gospel according to St John "in the beginning was the word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God"). His song was thought to have created eight deities of the Ogdoad (the gods Nun, Heh, Kuk and Amun and the goddesses Nunet, Hauhet, Kuaket and Amaunet).
The moon and the sun were initially thought of as the left and right eyes of Horus. According to legend, Horus' left eye (the moon) was injured in a fight with Set and was restored by Thoth ("the eye of Horus"). However, as time progressed the moon came to be associated with Thoth, possibly because the crescent moon resembled the beak of an Ibis. During the Late period Thoth gained prominence when Khnum (Hermopolis Magna) became the capital. Archeologists found thousands of mummified ibis who were buried with honour in his name.
Although Osiris and Isis were generally credited with bringing civilisation to mankind, Thoth was also thought to have invented writing, medicine, magic, and the Egyptian´s civil and religious practices. He was even credited with the invention of music, which was more often associated with Hathor. Thoth was the patron of scribes and of the written word. He was scribe of the underworld who recorded the verdict on the deceased in the hall of Ma´at and was given the epithets "He who Balances", "God of the Equilibrium" and "Master of the Balance". Thoth maintained the library of the gods with the help of his wife, Seshat (the goddess of writing). He was the scribe of the gods, and was often described as the "Lord of the Divine Body", "Scribe of the Company of the Gods", the "voice of Ra" or the "counsellor of Ra" who (along with Ma'at) stood on the sun barge next to Ra on his nightly voyage across the sky. It was also thought that Ra gave Thoth and area of the underworld to rule in the "Land of the Caves", He kept a register of those in his realm and decreed just punishments for their transgressions and acted as Ra´s representative in the afterlife. In this role, his wife was Ma´at.
It was said that he was the author of the spells in the "Book of the Dead" and "Book of Breathings" (which was also attributed to Isis) and he was given the grand title, the "Author of Every Work on Every Branch of Knowledge, Both Human and Divine". Egyptian mythology speaks of the "Book of Thoth" in which the god inscribed all of the secrets of the universe. Anyone who read it would become the most powerful sorcerer in the world, but would be cursed by their knowledge. Needless to say, people have been searching for this text despite the warning, and some more "colourful" theories propose that it is hidden in a secret chamber in or near the Great Pyramid. This book is said by some to be the "emerald tablets of Thoth" a work of dubious authenticity which suggests that Thoth and the other gods were from Atlantis.
