Thoth is an ancient Egyptian god. He was the god of writing, wisdom, magic and the moon. Thoth was a very significant god of Egyptian pantheon. The meaning of the Egyptian term for Thoth was “like the Ibis”. However, in the ancient Egyptian illustrations he was often depicted with either the head of the bird Ibis or a Baboon. Thoth had a feminine counterpart called Seshat. The wife of Thoth was Ma’at. He was greatly revered as he was the god of writing, hieroglyphs, magic, art, science, judgment and the dead. The most important temple dedicated to Thoth was located in Hermopolis. The reason for the important of this god was mainly due to the various fields of association that Thoth had as a god of Egypt. Moreover, many of the most prominent and vital roles in Egyptian mythology were played by Thoth.

One of the important roles he played in Egyptian mythology was maintenance of the universe. He was one of the gods that stood on the side of chief sun god Ra’s solar stand.  On the other side stood his wife Ma’at. Thoth was further important in the history of Egypt later as he became the resolution provider for many of the heavenly disputes among the deities. Thoth was primarily the moon god and was further prominent due to the moon being one of the most important celestial body. His importance can also be attributed to the fact that he was depicted in various ways. His depictions were a testimony to the passing of times and the various seasons.

Apart from the mythological factors there were also many other reasons for the prominent position of Thoth in Egyptian ancient religion. Thoth was a god that was important in the history of Egypt. This importance can be seen through many of the cultural representations of Thoth that have continued into the present times. He became more important in regards to his position in the Egyptian pantheon with the passing of time. He was the scribe of the gods. The invention of the writing system was also attributed to him. He also represented equilibrium in the underworld. An important fact was that Thoth was the god of both the Physical and the moral laws.

His importance in history is further elevated by his association with all the written works of magic, philosophy, religion and science. Thoth in the historical context can be said to be a representative of all academic endeavors. Hence, the god holds an important position in Egyptian history. All the important works pertaining to mathematics, geometry, astronomy, botany, theology, numbers medicine and various other works can be connected to the prominence of Thoth. It becomes easier to understand Egyptian ancient history due to the stories that were connected with Thoth.

His position becomes prominent in regards to the various branches of knowledge that form essential components of Egyptian history. In history Thoth is important as being the moon god helped people to consider him important for worship. Moon was one of the only natural sources of light. The position of the moon at night allowed for the measurement of time even at night without the sun. This was an important aspect that helped in the growth of Egyptian astronomy. Astrology was important in Egypt as it led to the shaping of the entire culture of ancient Egypt. This made sure that Thoth was to remain important not only as a prominent Egyptian god but also as a symbol of knowledge of ancient Egypt.

Thoth was revered as the creator of Egyptian hieroglyphs. He was worshiped by the Egyptian scribes. The scribes were inspired by Thoth to continue with their writing and helped to preserve the culture of ancient Egypt. Without the historical position of Thoth much of the ancient culture of Egypt would not have been recorded. The Egyptian god was important in the growth of Egyptian art, culture and knowledge throughout a large part of the history of Egypt. He also was depicted in many of the much later Greek or Hellenistic literatures.