Baboon statuette
This baboon sculpture is made of grey spotted marble and is thought to be from between the 1st and 6th centuries AD. The baboon is an animal associated with the Egyptian god Thoth, the god of knowledge and writing. Thoth is also associated with the moon and he would greet the sun god each morning as the sun rose. As baboons are known for shrieking loudly before dawn, the ancient Egyptians used this imagery in tomb wall decoration as a symbol of resurrection, encouraging the sun to rise.
