Limestone Relief of Two Baboons

This is a sunken limestone 𓇋𓈖𓈙𓌉 relief from the Late Period – Ptolemaic Period (c. 400–200 B.C.E.). There’s a lot going on here in such a small space! Let’s take a look! 

Two 𓏻 baboons are offering Wedjat Eyes 𓂀𓂀 to the god 𓊹 Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛, who is depicted as the scarab 𓐍𓊪𓂋𓂋𓆣. Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 represents the “newborn sun” (sun at dawn). On the relief, Khepri 𓆣𓂋𓇋𓁛 is holding the star “𓇽,” which is the sign for the Duat 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 (Underworld/Afterlife), and beneath him is a sun disc 𓇳𓏺 with sun rays 𓆄𓅱𓇶 extending downward. 

The baboons in this relief are most likely associated with the god 𓊹 Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭, who was often depicted as a baboon. The reason why they seem to be associated with Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 is because of the Wedjat Eyes 𓂀𓂀 they are holding and also by the shen rings 𓍶𓍶 they are wearing on their heads. The shen rings 𓍶𓍶 are thought to represent the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹, and since Thoth 𓅝𓏏𓏭𓀭 is god 𓊹 of the moon 𓇋𓂝𓎛𓇹, he is commonly associated with this symbol!

The wedjat 𓂀 or the “Eye of Horus” is representative of the eye 𓁹𓏏𓏤 that Horus 𓅃𓀭 lost when battling Seth 𓊃𓏏𓄡𓁣. Thoth 𓅤𓀭 restored Horus’ 𓅃𓀭 eye, however, the single Eye of Horus became a symbol of rebirth or healing 𓋴𓈖𓃀𓏜.

The Shen ring 𓍶 symbol is a circle of rope that is tied at the end. The tied rope symbolizes completeness, infinity/eternity 𓎛𓇳𓎛, and is also a symbol of protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜.