Thoth: The Keeper of Wisdom, Time, and Divine Balance
I have been learning a little about some of the many
Egyptian gods, and this time I want to tell you about Thoth.
In the earliest beliefs of ancient Egypt in around 3000BC,
Thoth appears to have been closely connected to the moon. The sun god Ra ruled
the day, Thoth was often associated with the calm light of the night. It is believed
that he helped to maintain the balance in the universe, by marking the passage
of time and making sure that order, rather than chaos, prevailed.
As Egyptian religion started to evolve, Thoth started to become
known as the god of wisdom, writing, and of knowledge. The Egyptians believed
he was the inventor of hieroglyphs, the sacred writing system that allowed
their stories, laws, and beliefs to be recorded.
Scribes, in particular, regarded him highly, they saw their
work not just as a skill, but almost as a calling that was shaped by him.
Thoth’s role grew even more significant in the stories of
the afterlife. During the weighing of the heart, when the fate of the soul was
decided, he was said to have stood beside the scales to record the outcome.
Anubis guided the process and Osiris judged, but it was Thoth that ensured that
everything was done correctly and honestly.
He also appears in the great myth of Osiris. After Osiris
was killed by Set, it was Thoth who helped Isis with his knowledge and magic,
playing a part in restoring Osiris long enough for Horus to be conceived. He
was not just an observer, he was someone
who actually shaped events.
The Greeks would later connect Thoth with Hermes, they saw
their similarities as messengers and as keepers of knowledge. But Thoth
retained something that was distinctly Egyptian, a sense of intelligence, patience, and balance.
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