Thoth was arguably one of the most important gods in Egyptian mythology. He was the god of time, knowledge, writing and the moon. He was often credited for making the world as he was the one who made all the calculations. Thoth’s head resembled an ibis, with his curved beak being a symbol of the crescent moon, and his feathers representing the waxing and waning of the moon. However, he was also sometimes depicted as a full baboon.
There are many different ideas about how Thoth came into the universe, some say that he was the son of the sun god, Ra, inheriting his wisdom from Ra or from finding his book. Additionally, Thoth was also a god of magic and he invented hieroglyphics, making them to have magical powers too.
Thoth played a role in the afterlife, being in charge of the halls of Amenti, but he also assisted Anubis and Osiris in the halls of truth, recording if the dead passed of not when weighing their heart against the feather of truth.
Thoth was also a mediator for the gods. The Egyptian gods were known for fighting frequently, and when Thoth was not actively participating in a argument he would mediate. He helped Nut when she was cursed by Ra, never to give birth, doing this by gambling with the moon. He also helped Isis bring back Set after being murdered by his brother. He helped Horus with his battles with Set and when Tefnut became estranged from Ra.
Thoth was one of the earliest deities that was worshipped, dating back to the pre-dynastic period, around 6000BCE, even having a cult. His cult was accepted and respected by royal and noble households. This cult was in the centre of Khumunu, and the people living there had their life revolve around it, Thoth had countless amulets and spells in his name, especially in and around this location. The scribes located within this city held Thoth in the highest esteem, as Thoth would give them help. Thoth was so revered in ancient Egypt that Tuthmosis, the name of many pharaohs, actually mean “born of Thoth”. This love of Thoth was not only by the royalty, but from all classes and people. This cult attracted people from all over. To pay respect, offerings were made to Thoth during festivals, thousands of mummified ibises and baboons were found the centre of Khumunu.