Item: Egyptian ushabti

Material: Faience

Place of origin: Egypt

Accession number: L68/17

Description: "Workers of the dead" were models in human form, placed in tombs and later developed into the ushabti or shabti, an inscribed mummiform figure holding tools. Ushabtis were made of clay, faience or wood and occur from the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000 BC) onwards. Some were made in molds which are also on display. They undertook certain tasks on behalf of the deceased and one inscription reads:

"O shabti, if (personal name) be summoned to do any work which had to be done in the realm of the dead - to make arable the fields, to irrigate the land or to convey sand from east to west; 'Here am I' you shall say, 'I shall do it.'"

(Spell 6 from the Book of the Dead)