Ancient Egyptians venerated the African ibis in particular, mummified and sacrificed it in the name of Thoth: a recognizable face in the Egyptian pantheon. As the central deity of writing and wisdom, Thoth carries the image of an ibis from the shoulders up – never featured without a long bill and rounded head. His Egyptian name, Djehuty, translates directly to “he who is like the ibis,” a clever and patient creature whose primal, instinctual nature seems muted in comparison to inclinations of the animal kingdom.