King before Thoth

In Ancient Egyptian art, when a king is depicted touching the Was sceptre, it is a symbolic gesture signifying his divine authority and legitimate rule. The Was sceptre, often held by gods such as Thoth or Osiris, represents power, dominion, and the control of chaos. By touching it, the king affirms his connection to the gods and receives their blessing to rule in accordance with Ma’at, the cosmic order of truth and balance. This act reflects the sacred bond between the mortal ruler and the divine, portraying the pharaoh not only as a king but as a divinely sanctioned custodian of harmony and justice in the land of Egypt.

The king is depicted kneeling reverently before Thoth, offering a sacred emblem cradled delicately in his hand. This symbol, comprising a miniature seated figure crowned with Ma’at’s feather, accompanied by the ankh of life, represents a profound act of devotion: the offering of Ma’at.

To offer Ma’at was not the giving of a physical object, but the presentation of truth, balance, and divine order itself. By placing this emblem before Thoth, the celestial scribe and guardian of cosmic harmony, the king affirms his commitment to rule justly, in accordance with the eternal principles of Ma’at. It is a visual theology: the mortal ruler bestows to the divine the very concept upon which all creation rests, thereby renewing the sacred pact between pharaoh and god, and ensuring that his words, actions, and governance are inscribed in righteousness.

Third Intermediate Period, c. 1070–664 B.C.

Now at the Cincinnati Art Museum. 1945.64