Baboons were involved in Ancient Egyptian religion in a number of spheres. As both highly intelligent and highly vocal creatures, baboons were connected with Thoth, the god of wisdom, learning and the creator of language. As a sacred animal to Thoth, baboons were often depicted supervising scribes during their work. They also had various funerary roles. They were custodians of the first door to the underworld. Across the Ancient world, there are a number of pieces that would have been worn by their owners for the sake of protection, primarily amulets. Jewellery of this apotropaic nature most often takes shape in the form of pendants, and we find them in abundance from a number of civilisations, especially Egypt. These amulets covered a broad range of subjects in their iconography.
To discover more about amulets in Egypt, please visit our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.
