Statue of Thoth, Egypt, 1500-100 BCE

Made:
1500-100 BCE in Egypt
Pale blue faience statuette of Thoth, Egyptian, 1500BC-100CB Pale blue faience statuette of Thoth, Egyptian, 1500BC-100CB

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

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License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

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Pale blue faience statuette of Thoth, Egyptian, 1500BC-100CB
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Pale blue faience statuette of Thoth, Egyptian, 1500BC-100CB
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Pale blue faience statuette of Thoth, Egyptian, 1500BC-100CB

Thoth was an ancient Egyptian god credited with the invention of hieroglyphics. He was also god of the Moon and of learning and patron of physicians. Thoth was physician to the gods and cured Horus when he was bitten by a scorpion. He is shown as an ibis – a type of bird – or as an ibis-headed man. The ancient Egyptians believed that while illness and disease were natural events, they also had supernatural causes, which were controlled by the gods. Prevention and treatment of illness and disease therefore included prayers at home to statues of gods like this one.

Details

Category:
Classical & Medieval Medicine
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A634865
Materials:
earthenware and faience
Measurements:
overall: 60 mm x 4 mm x 20 mm, .006 kg
type:
statue
credit:
Sotheby's