Aug 29, 2009

Tehuti Is Just Another Name

The name Thoth is translated as "lord of the holy words" and is the ibis headed god of the Greco-Roman peoples. In Egypt, he is known by the name Tehuti (or Djehuti) and is the patron of science, literature, wisdom and inventions. It is said that he invented the things like arithmatic, geometry, heiroglyphics, magic, medicine, music, surgery, surveying, wind and stringed instuments and writing. You might call him a jack of all science trades!

Thoth's role as mediator is well-documented. It is he who questions the souls of the dead about their deeds in life before their heart is weighed against the feather of MaatHe was even sent by Ra to speak with Tefnut and ask her to return when she abdicated her position and went to Nubia. He is also the great counselor and the other gods frequently went to him for advice.

Thoth is an unusual god and though some stories place him as a son of Ra, others say that Thoth created himself through the power of language. He is the messenger of the gods (and thus identified by the Greeks with Hermes) and the divine record-keeper and mediator.Thoth is considered a lunar deity and is often depicted wearing the lunar crescent on his head. There is a story told of how Thoth won a portion of Khonsu's light, and this may be the reason. As a lunar deity his totem animal is the baboon, a nocturnal animal that goes to sleep only after greeting the new day.

1 comment:

dreaming in maine said...

Thanks! I love learning tidbits about different dieties!