Baboon amulet of a Thot baboon holding the wedjat eye

The baboon was the sacred animal and manifestation of the god Thoth. Theriomorph amulets representing the god were rare before the New Kingdom, but became a common type from the end of the Ramesside period. The amulet holding the wedjat eye fits in a group of faience amulets found in tombs from the Ramesside period. These amulets depict a squatting hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas), whose paw rests on its knee, while its male member is clearly visible between the legs. Its cape, ornamented with notches, emphasises the quality of the object made for the elite. The ring on the back of the object could be shaped of faience, which was easy to mould during the production process. The object could then be hung and used as jewellery.

The sacred animal amulets ensured the god’s protection. Their wearer hoped to benefit from their magical powers when identified with the god, but they could also be seen as a sign of honour to the god. Thoth was the god of writing and the protector of scribes, so the amulet was primarily made for a scribe. When placed in the tomb of the owner, it provided support for the afterlife and rebirth. Thot’s role in the afterlife was crucial. According to the best-known funerary text, the Book of the Dead, which provides guidance in the afterlife, during the so-called Weighing of the Heart Ceremony, Thoth, as the scribe of the gods, recorded the results of the weighing and could thus prevent the entry to the afterlife. The baboon’s relationship with the sun is also important in the context of renewal. The animal greets the sunrise in the morning with a peculiar ritual, so the baboon was also thought to possess a special knowledge that could support the deceased in their transformation from Osiris to Ra and in rebirth. This symbolism is reinforced by the material of Egyptian faience, whose reflective quality and luminosity are also associated with the sun god and whose green colour was a symbol of youth and renewal.

The wedjat eye amulet worn around the neck of the animal refers to the eye of Horus, which was restored by Thoth and was damaged in the contending between Horus and Seth for the throne of Osiris in this world. Osiris was reborn through the restored eye, making the symbol the most important votive offering of the dead. Consequently, the amulet could also have been a votive offering of Thoth sanctuaries, as the pedestal indicates.