Ancient Egyptians deified the sacred baboon as a form of Thoth, god of the moon. #Dartmouth anthropology professor Nathaniel Dominy and Catherine Hobaiter of @uniofstandrews.bsky.social used spectroscopy to show its grizzled fur is indistinguishable from moonlight.
@kevinashton.bsky.socialWhy baboons were a manifestation of the ancient Egyptian deity of wisdom, writing, magic, and the moon. This is an extraordinary work of synthesis, humanism, and science writing. Short, free, non-technical, fascinating, and a great weekend quick read.
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Moonlight and the apotheosis of sacred baboons
Thoth was an ancient Egyptian deity of wisdom, writing, magic, and the moon. Manifestations of Thoth took the form of two animal species, the sacred ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) and sacred baboo...