Archive for the ‘Deities’ Category

Thoth (also Tahuti or Thout) was considered one of the most important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. According to the foundation legend of Egypt, Thoth was the god of the moon, drawing, writing, geometry, wisdom, medicine, music, astronomy, magic and the divine mediator.
In Egyptian art, Thoth was depicted as an ibis headed god. Thoth also symbolize the Moon (in all its phases, although he most strongly represents the new moon), and whatever form he took he wore a lunar crescent on his head. Some Egyptologists think that the Egyptians identified the crescent moon with the curved beak of the ibis. It is also suggested that the Egyptians observed that baboon was a nocturnal (i.e. lunar) animal who would greet the sun with chattering noises each morning. Thoth was also present at the judgement of the dead. He would question the deceased before recording the result of the weighing of the deceased’s heart. If the result was favorable Thoth would declare the deceased as a righteous individual who was worthy of a blessed afterlife.

In recent times, one of the most popular and cited works on the Tarot was connected to this deity. Written by the occultist Aleister Crowley, The Book of Thoth is a philosophical text on the usage of Tarot and, most notably, Crowley’s own created Tarot Deck, the Thoth Tarot which he also referred to as The Book of Thoth, where the name is taken from a “non-existent” (translations from papyrus of an actual Book of Thoth DO exist, titled ‘The Ancient Egyptian Book of Thoth’ by Jasnow and Zauzich) book in Egyptian mythology, believed to contain ancient knowledge originally brought to man by this deity. Crowley commissioned Lady Frieda Harris to assist him in painting the [intlink id="39" type="page"]Thoth Deck[/intlink]

Quick Facts:
Pantheon: Egyptian
Element: Air
Sphere of Influence: Knowledge, Wisdom & Magic
Preferred color: White
Associated symbol: Ibis, Lunar Disc, Stylus.
Animals associated with: Ibis, Baboon
Day: Monday
Associated Planet: Moon (esp. New Moon)
Feminine counterpart: Ma’at.
Alternate Names: Tahuti, Tehuti, Zehuti, Techu, or Tetu. Thoth (also Thot or Thout), Sheps, Lord of Khemennu, Asten, Khenti, Mehi, Hab, and A’an.

ref.
Hart, George. A Dictionary of Egyptian Gods & Goddesses.
Lichtheim, Miriam. Ancient Egyptian Literature, vol. I.
Doreal. The Emerald Tablets of Thoth
Budge, E. A. Wallis. The Gods of the Egyptians Volume 1 of 2.