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Thoth Facts & Worksheets

The deity of writing, magic, knowledge, and the Moon is Thoth in Egyptian mythology. He was one of the most significant gods in ancient Egypt, and some suggest that he was either self-created or birthed from the seed of Horus on Set's brow.

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The deity of writing, magic, knowledge, and the Moon is Thoth in Egyptian mythology. He was one of the most significant gods in ancient Egypt, and some suggest that he was either self-created or birthed from the seed of Horus on Set’s brow. He was also the god of equilibrium because he was the child of these two gods, who stood for order and chaos, respectively.

See the fact file below for more information about Thoth, or you can download our 28-page Thoth worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

OVERVIEW

  • Thoth was a person of great significance who played essential roles in many prominent myths. He was born distant from the religious hubs that gave rise to the vast bulk of Egyptian deities. 
  • As a result, Thoth adopted the persona of the permanent outsider; he was not the subject of any significant mythology, and his accounts frequently came off as confusing or hazy.
  • He appears mysteriously in several stories. Thoth held a significant position in Egyptian mythology and was revered by all despite (or perhaps because of) his peculiar status.
  • Eventually, Thoth’s fame spread beyond the borders of his original society. He continued to exist in the Greek religious tradition as Hermes, the gods’ messenger after the ancient Egyptian religion fell into disuse.

NAME, ORIGIN, AND ATTRIBUTES

  • “He Who Is Like the Ibis” means Thoth’s Egyptian name, Djehuty (also spelled dhwty). In ancient Egypt, the ibis was revered as a sacred bird, a favorite companion, and a symbol of intelligence. 
  • He also went under the names Jehuti, Tahuti, Tehuti, Zehuti, Techu, and Tetu. 
  • His main group center was the city of Khemenu, which became Hermopolis. Hermopolis got its name from the Greeks’ identification of Thoth with their god Hermes, who called him Hermes Trismegistus (also known as “Three Times Great, Great” or “Thoth the Thrice Great”). 
  • His other titles included “Lord of Divine Words,” “Lord of Ma’at,” “Scribe of Ma’at in the Company of the Gods,” and “Judge of Ma’at in the Company of the Gods.”
  • Thoth was a significant god to the Egyptians and stood for many aspects of reality. He was a deity of the Moon, knowledge, magic, and medicine. Thoth was regarded as the creator of writing and the patron saint of scribes. He frequently acted as Ra’s go-between between the living and the dead as the gods’ messenger.
  • Thoth, Ra’s most trusted counselor, was tasked with keeping a record of everything that occurred. He was regarded as a judge without peers since he was an honest and upright official.
  • Thoth was the guardian of maat, or cosmic order, and more than just an observer. 
  • Thoth played both the consummate diplomat and the ruthless assassin in this role.
  • In Egyptian mythology, Thoth was portrayed as a baboon and a man with an ibis’ head, but his demeanor was the same in all forms. Although Thoth’s baboon iconography predates his ibis-headed representations, the latter gradually became his main image.
  • Depictions of Thoth hinted that he was a lunar god.
  • As a baboon, he frequently wore headgear with images of a complete and crescent moon since the ibis’ curved beak resembles a crescent moon.

THE DISTANT GODDESS AND THOTH

  • No matter which particular goddess is depicted or where she has gone, the motif of the Distant Goddess always refers to the same thing: Ra’s daughter disagrees with him on a subject and leaves him, disappearing into a remote location.
  • Someone must be sent to retrieve her; she transforms the populace when she does. Ra required the Eye of Ra, the all-seeing eye, daily, so it was crucial to bring the goddess back immediately and have the eye returned.
  • However, the goddess was too strong to be coerced, and the process required delicacy. 
  • Thoth received the goddess Nehmetawy as payment for his efforts; Pinch describes her as “a pacified version of the Distant Goddess.”
  • Additionally, Thoth played a significant role in creating Egypt’s first five gods. 
  • Ra (also known as Atum) was furious when Nut became pregnant by Geb at the beginning of the world and decided not to give birth on any day of the year. 
  • The Moon deity Iah and Thoth wagered for five days of moonlight. He succeeded in his wager and, as Ra had commanded, divided the moonlight of Iah into five days of sunlight. Then, each day, Nut gave birth to her offspring: Osiris, Isis, Set, Nephthys, and Horus.
  • Ra, who had been upset with his daughter Nut, eventually changed his mind and paid respect to Thoth for helping to circumvent Ra’s order.
  • Thoth was assigned a place of honor in the sky boat that traveled through the heavens during the day, and during the night, Thoth assisted in chasing the serpent Apophis away from the sun god. 
  • He was closely connected to human lives and the cycle of day and night because of his role in the defeat of Apophis.

THE WRITTEN WORD OF THOTH

  • The written word, which people have used to preserve their history and keep track of their daily lives, was created by Thoth. 
  • Some myths claim that Thoth created words and delivered them to humanity, while others claim that Thoth was the creator and that Seshat provided comments to the populace. 
  • Other interpretations claim that Thoth was the creator but that Osiris or Isis gave humanity its first words. 
  • Thoth is the author of all literary works and written languages for humans and gods. 
  • As such, Thoth was associated with the idea of fate, even though the Seven Hathors or other gods shared this duty in various myths from various eras. 
  • Thoth kept track of human days as the gods’ record keeper. He is depicted in many paintings, counting the days and years by which the Egyptian scribes were able to preserve their nation’s history.
  • Naturally, scribes made Thoth their patron and began each day by paying him respects. Thoth is depicted as a baboon in an 18th Dynasty statue, sitting over a recorder at his desk and wearing the moon disc on his head.
  • Hopefully, Thoth acknowledged the quality of these scribes’ labor and authorized Seshat to store their writings in her everlasting library and safeguard them in earthly ones.
  • As a scribe’s work continued beyond his death through the recorded words in books, the idea that writing makes the author immortal was revered in ancient Egypt. 
  • However, the idea was also known to the gods because Seshat preserved the words in her celestial books. Scribes had every reason to think they would be greeted with open arms in the Hall of Truth and enter paradise in the Field of Reeds after death.

THOTH WORSHIP AND LEGACY

  • Though his primary place of worship was in Hermopolis, Thoth was highly revered all over Egypt. 
  • His temples and shrines would have been a community hub and a source for guidance, spiritual counsel, and general assistance in obtaining food or medical care, just like other gods’ temples and shrines. 
  • Thoth’s cult was intimately allied with the ruling class, and his priests were educated scribes. 
  • His worship center at Hermopolis enjoyed enormous acclaim. Visitors to the celebration were offered mummified ibises and baboons as votive gifts to the gods. 
  • Thousands of these mummified animals were discovered during excavations at the neighboring Tuna el-Gebel necropolis. 
  • These were substantial burial grounds for ibises and baboons. The abundance of amulets dedicated to Thoth uncovered from various points in Egypt’s history further attests to his continued veneration.
  • Thoth is still regarded as a significant spiritual figure today. He is one of popular culture’s most well-known Egyptian deities, aside from those who venerated the god in the New Age, Wiccan, or Neo-Pagan societies. 
  • After pictures of King Tutankhamun, Queen Nefertiti, and the goddess Bastet, Thoth statues remain among the most well-known and identifiable in the modern world. The University of Cairo uses Thoth on his throne as part of their emblem.

Thoth Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Thoth across 28 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Thoth People. The deity of writing, magic, knowledge, and the Moon is Thoth in Egyptian mythology. He was one of the most significant gods in ancient Egypt, and some suggest that he was either self-created or birthed from the seed of Horus on Set’s brow.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Thoth (Egyptian God) Facts
  2. Complete the Profile
  3. Unveil the Symbols
  4. Judgment of the Heart
  5. Quest for the Lost Scroll
  6. Lunar Observations
  7. Thoth Sunday
  8. Video Analysis
  9. Thoth’s Labyrinth
  10. Wisdom of Thoth
  11. Craft Divine Costume

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Thoth in Egyptian mythology?

Thoth is an ancient Egyptian deity associated with wisdom, writing, and knowledge. He is often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon.

What are Thoth’s major attributes and domains?

Thoth is primarily associated with several domains, including writing, mathematics, astronomy, magic, and judgment. He is also considered the inventor of hieroglyphics and credited with the creation of the Egyptian calendar.

How did Thoth contribute to Egyptian culture and civilization?

Thoth’s contributions to Egyptian culture were significant. He was believed to have given the gift of writing and knowledge to humanity, which allowed the Egyptians to record their history, religious texts, and scientific knowledge. He also played a role in the afterlife, where he recorded the results of the deceased’s judgment.

What role did Thoth play in Egyptian mythology and religion?

Thoth served as a mediator and arbitrator in disputes among the gods and was often seen as a counselor to the gods, aiding in decision-making. He played a crucial role in the Egyptian creation myth and was associated with the judgment of the dead, where he would weigh the hearts of the deceased against the feather of Ma’at to determine their fate in the afterlife.

Are there any famous myths or stories about Thoth?

One famous myth involving Thoth is his involvement in the contest between Horus and Set for the throne of Egypt. Thoth played a key role in the resolution of the conflict by helping to establish Horus as the rightful heir. Additionally, Thoth is known for his role in the “Book of Thoth,” a legendary text said to contain powerful spells and secrets of magic.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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