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[[File:Thoth.jpg|right|thumb|Thoth ([[Ramesseum]], [[Luxor]])]]
In [[Egyptian mythology]], '''Thoth'''<ref>His [[Greek language|Greek]] name derived from the Egyptian '''*{{unicode|ḏiḥautī}}''', written by [[Egypt]]ians as ''{{unicode|ḏḥwty}}''</ref> was the [[deity]] of [[scribe]]s. He is thought to be one of the most important said to be born from the [[skull]] of [[Seth]] also said to be born from the heart of [[Ra]].

Thoth was considered the [[heart]] and [[tongue]] of Ra. He was also the one who translated Ra's will into [[speech]].<ref name= "Budge 407" >(Budge ''The Gods of the Egyptians'' Vol. 1 p. 407)</ref>

== Shrines ==
The main shrine of Thoth was at [[Khemennu]]. It was there that he was the head of the local company of deities. He also had shrines in [[Abydos, Egypt|Abydos]], [[Hesert]], [[Urit]], [[Per (hieroglyph)|Per-Ab]], [[Rekhui]], [[Ta-ur]], [[Sep]], [[Hat (Egypt)|Hat]], [[Pselket]], [[Talmsis]], [[Antcha-Mutet]], [[Bah]], [[Amen-heri-ab]], and [[Ta-kens]].<ref>(Budge ''The Gods of the Egyptians'' (p. 401)</ref>

== Worship ==
Thoth was mostly prayed in the early dynasty. He was also prayed through the five days of celebration. They would sing hymns and chant spells for Thoth. There were many celebrations like "The feast of Thoth" in the year. He was a major god for the early dynasty.

== Myth ==

Thoth played very important roles in Egyptian myths. He was said to have resurrected Osiris after he was slain by [[Seth]] and also later resurrected his son, [[Horus]]. He was also credited for creating 365 days instead of 360. One myth explains how [[Ra]] bans [[Nut (goddess)|Nut]] from having children on any day of the year. Thoth then goes to the moon god, Khonsu, and gambles five days out of him, therefore giving five days (the demon days) when [[Nut (goddess)|Nut]] can have children. He also was sometimes said to take the place of the Primeval Goose and be the creator of the world and all other gods.

==Family ==
Thoth had one direct relation to Ma'at that people know of, although some myths say he was the son of [[Ra]]. His feminine counterpart was a goddess named [[Seshat]]. She was also sometimes credited to be the inventor of hieroglyphs, while Thoth taught them. She was also said to be Thoth’s wife or daughter.

== Relationship to Ma'at ==
[[Ma'at]] also played a big role next to Thoth. He was there at the weighing of the heart, noting, while Ma’at weighed the heart. They both stood on either side of Ra’s boat and also he was sometimes said to be Ma’at’s husband. Ma'at was the goddess of law, order, truth, and justice.

== Physical Description ==
Thoth was a unique god. He is said to have two forms: an ibis-headed human and a squatting dog-headed baboon. He held a stylus and a pallet, and sometimes the symbol of life, called the [[Ankh]].

== Titles and Roles ==
Thoth had many titles and a lot of roles. He was often called “Three times Great”. He was mediator, messenger, scribe and teacher. Some of his titles included;
‘Scribe of Ma’at in the company of the gods’
‘Lord of Ma’at’
‘Lord of divine words’
‘Judge of the two combatant gods’
‘Three times great’ or ‘Thrice Great’
These numerous titles show that Thoth had a very significant importance to ancient Egyptian mythology. He had his high point of worship in the Old Kingdom.

== Hermes and the Greeks ==
When the Greeks conquered Egypt, they equated Thoth with Hermes, their messenger god. Thoth’s central city was Khemenu, (where he has his chief temple) which the Greeks renamed to Hermopolis, city of Hermes. Today, ancient temples and ruins worshiping Thoth are there and what used to be Khemenu is now el-Eshmunein.

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== Sources ==
# 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. ''Thot, 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).
#Bunson, Margaret ''A Dictionary of Ancient Egypt''
#Remler, Pat ''Egyptian Mythology A to Z''
#Wilkinson, Richard '' The Complete Guide to Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt''
#Gahlin, Lucia ''EGYPT Gods, Myth and Religion''
#Barrett, Clive ''The Egyptian Gods and Goddesses''
#Ions, Veronica ''Egyptian Mythology''
#Bunson, Margaret '' A Dictionary of Ancient Egypt''

==Related pages==
* [[List of Egyptian gods and goddesses]]

== Other websites ==
{{commonscat|Thoth}}
* [http://atlantis-and-atlanteans.org/emerald-tablets.htm About the Emerald Tablets] The Emerald Tablets of Thoth-The-Atlanean (with commentaries by Dr V.Atnonov).
*http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/thoth.htm
*http://www.egyptianmyths.net/mythbookthoth.htm
*https://egyptianmuseum.org/deities-thoth
*http://www.ancientegypt.co.uk/gods/explore/main.html

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[[Category:Egyptian gods and goddesses]]