Thoth

In Egyptian mythic cosmology Thoth is presented as a primordial divine figure credited with having originated essential arts of knowledge and measurement; sources state the ancient Egyptians regarded him as "One, self-begotten, and self-produced," and he is credited with making the calculations that established the heavens, stars, and the reckoning of time (as in the tale told by Plutarch, preserved in later summaries, where he wins five days from the Moon enabling Nut's children to be born).

Thoth is most commonly depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or as a full ibis, often shown with lunar symbolism such as a lunar disk on a crescent or headdress; in his ape/baboon aspect he appears as a dog-faced baboon or man with a baboon head, an aspect named Aani or A'an associated with equilibrium and underworld functions. He is frequently shown bearing scribal regalia (writing implements) and may hold the ankh or wear crowns appropriate to specific aspect-names.

Thoth is portrayed as inventor and patron of writing (hieroglyphs), sciences, arts, magic, music, counting, measurement (including of time and stars), and as divine scribe and counsellor to the gods. In funerary mythic contexts he records or reports the weighing of the heart against Ma'at's feather in the Duat, and in mythic narrative he provides counsel and ritual words (for example aiding Isis in the Osiris cycle). Greek and later writers expand his attributions to include astronomy, mathematics, medicine, and related arts; he functions broadly as a cosmic maintainer who preserves Ma'at through measurement, record-keeping, and wisdom.