Who was the ancient Egyptian god of writing?

Answer 1

Thot / Thoth

One of the most important aspects of Thot's complex nature is that of a god of writing and of the scribes. Thot is credited by the Ancient Egyptians with the invention of the hieroglyphic writing, the "words of god", evidenced in his epithet "the one who created writing".

He can often be seen holding a reed pen and a scribe's palette. Among his many epithets "lord of the reed pen" clearly shows his association with these attributes of writing. It is therefore not surprising to see the scribe's palette being presented to Thot, or one of the gods associated with him, in ritual scenes.

Thot was the archetype of the Egyptian scribe: he was meticulous, worthy of trust and very precise. In the so-called "Ptolemaic" writing, the hieroglyphic sign representing an ibis, Thot's sacred animal, was used to write the notion of "excellence".

Scribes were regarded as "followers of Thot" and they were a privileged class that was held in high esteem in the Ancient Egyptian society. As followers of Thot, they were supposed to be as meticulous and trustworthy as Thot himself. According to one hymn to Thot, the eye of the baboon watched out for scribes who took advantage of their skill by using it for self gain.

Answer 2

What was the name of the ancient Egyptian form of writing?