ca. 663–323 BC. Late Period. Egyptian. A deep turquoise glazed faience amulet of the god Thoth, upright against a dorsal pillar and striding with his left foot forward on a base and his arms by his sides. He is shown with the head of an ibis while wearing the nemes headdress and the shendyt kilt. Thoth was a patron of scribes and was associated with all forms of knowledge and wisdom, from history to medicine to architecture. It was said that he brought all forms of knowledge to mankind, that he assisted in managing the scales at the judgement of the dead, and that he was a god of the moon because of his crescent-shaped ibis beak.Provenance: Private London collection; formerly acquired in the UK art market from 1960s-80s collections.Size: L:42mm / W:20mm ; 3.9g