What mummified baboons say about globalisation

THOTH HAD a broad bailiwick. He was the god of wisdom, writing and many strands of alchemy. Ancient Egyptians worshipped him alongside Ra, the sun god. So it is no wonder they had such great respect for the baboon, understood to be Thoth’s earthly manifestation in the pantheon of blessed beings.New evidence uncovered by Nathaniel Dominy and his team at Dartmouth College confirms that Egypt’s early seafarers ventured to faraway Punt in search of the prized primates. The kingdom of Punt covered an area spanning much of Africa’s east coast. Travelling thousands of miles there and back would have required advanced nautical skills.