Statue of Egyptian divinity

The statue is of a baboon, an animal associated with Thot, the Egyptian god of writing. The animal is seated with its hands on its knees and its tail resting on the rectangular base. At the base of the statue is an inscription in hieroglyphics: “Lord of Hermopolis, Lord of the divine Words, who presides over Ra-Neferet”. The city of Ra-Neferet, located in the Nile Delta, is understood to be the statue’s place of origin, from where it is assumed to have been brought to Apulia, possibly in Roman times. On the basis of comparisons with other artefacts, the sculpture can be dated to the Late Period of Ancient Egypt.