Hermes-Thoth on Magical Gems and Amulets

This paper examines ancient glyptics that provide evidence for the merging of the cults of Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom and writing, and GraecoRoman Hermes/Mercury. With the use of semantics and iconological methodologies, the paper demonstrates that the popularity of the syncretic deity Hermes-Thoth was far greater than previously thought and, in fact, comparable to that of other syncretic figures, such as Hermanubis. This is possible because the analysis is not limited to the iconography of magical gems that clearly refer to this deity represented in figural form, but also encompasses symbolic amulets featuring rebuses which, if properly read, refer to Hermes-Thoth as well. It is argued that kerykeion was not the only Hellenising element used to mark Hermes’s nature in the cult of Hermes-Thoth. The article also contributes to the wider discussion on the identification and function of magical gems and amulets in general.