Researchers propose that the silvery appearance of the Egyptian god Thoth's animal forms resulted from moonlight reflecting off naturally bright fur and feathers.
This theory provides a unified scientific explanation for why ancient Egyptians associated two vastly different animals, the hamadryas baboon and the white ibis, with the same lunar deity.
The study, published July 12, 2026 [1], appears in Volume 34, Issue 2 of the peer-reviewed journal *Time and Mind* [2]. Led by Dr. Ahmed El-Sayed of the University of Cairo and Dr. Laura Martínez of the University of Barcelona, the paper was authored by five researchers [3].
According to the findings, both the hamadryas baboon's fur and the white ibis's feathers reflect moonlight strongly [4]. This physical property creates a distinct silvery visual effect when the animals are seen at night. The researchers said that this natural phenomenon may have led ancient observers to link these creatures to the moon god Thoth [4].
Thoth is traditionally depicted in Egyptian mythology as either an ibis-headed man or as a baboon. While the two animals share few biological similarities, their shared ability to catch lunar light offers a common thread. The study said that the visual brightness of these animals served as the catalyst for their deification in the context of lunar worship [5].
The research focuses on the intersection of zoology and archaeology to understand how environmental observations shaped religious iconography. By analyzing the reflective properties of the animals, the team sought to bridge the gap between the biological reality of the species and the symbolic representations found in ancient reliefs [1].
“The silvery appearance of Thoth’s baboon and ibis forms can be explained by moonlight reflecting off the animals’ naturally bright fur and feathers.”
This research suggests that ancient religious symbolism was not arbitrary but often rooted in observable natural phenomena. By linking the biological reflectivity of specific animals to the iconography of Thoth, the study demonstrates how environmental triggers can influence the development of complex mythological systems.
