Egypt
New Kingdom 1550 – 1077 B.C
Limestone
H:23

An Ushabti is a funerary figurine used throughout ancient Egypt, placed in a tomb to aid as a servant to the deceased, conducting manual labour for them in the afterlife. Often accompanied with various tools to assist their practices such as carrying sandals, plucking geese or baking bread, they are inscribed on their lower portions with hieroglyphs naming their characters and duties and summarising their readiness to work. Originating in the Old Kingdom (2600 BC.), they were small in size, often created in multiples and sometimes covered the entire floor of a tomb surrounding the sarcophagus. Varying between wood, stone, clay, metal, glass and earthenware, often from a singular mould, and sometimes polychromatic, they take on a variety of forms, depending on the styles of the time. They are found in Egyptology collections throughout the world, and provide great insight into the death rituals and afterlife beliefs of ancient Egyptians.

This mummyform shabti has seven horizontal registers of hieroglyphs, showing the name of ‘Paser’, who was a squire and ‘head of cavalry’, along with Spell VI of the Book of the Dead. He wears a braided tripartite wig, and carries the crook and flail in his hands. Two incisions highlight the neck folds. Carved from limestone, there is original terracotta red and black pigment on the hair and face, adding a sense of character to the small figure.