1977.216.2123.456: Ushabti belonging to an unknown ancient Egyptian person
Sculpture
This object does not yet have a description.
Identification and Creation
- Object Number
- 1977.216.2123.456
- Title
- Ushabti belonging to an unknown ancient Egyptian person
- Classification
- Sculpture
- Work Type
- sculpture, statuette
- Date
- 8th-7th century BCE
- Places
- Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Africa, Egypt (Ancient)
- Period
- Late Period, Dynasty 25
- Culture
- Egyptian
- Persistent Link
- https://hvrd.art/o/190469
Physical Descriptions
- Medium
- Clay with paint
- Technique
- Mold-made
- Dimensions
- irregular: 6.7 cm (2 5/8 in.)
Acquisition and Rights
- Credit Line
- Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Transfer from the Department of the Classics, Harvard University; deposited by Professor J. M. Paton
- Accession Year
- 1977
- Object Number
- 1977.216.2123.456
- Division
- Asian and Mediterranean Art
- Contact
- am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
- Permissions
-
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Descriptions
- Commentary
-
This ushabti belonged to an ancient Egyptian person whose name is not currently known.
Ushabtis are ancient Egyptian funerary figurines that were buried with a deceased person (the owner) and designed to perform tasks for them in the afterlife. They were usually inscribed with the owner’s name. They were believed to be “activated” when the deceased owner recited a portion of the Book of the Dead that explained the ushabti’s duties, which is sometimes inscribed on them (see 2019.354 for an example of this text). In such inscriptions, the deceased person is referred to as the “illuminated Osiris”—a gesture toward the hope that they would be resurrected like the god Osiris and everlasting like the sun. Ushabtis were almost always made in sets so that there would be many figurines to serve the deceased person. A full set comprised 401 ushabtis: one “worker” ushabti for every day of the year, plus one “overseer” ushabti for every ten, to make sure the rest were doing their jobs.
You might sometimes see the word ushabti spelled as “shawabty” or “shabti”; these are the same type of object.
Verification Level
This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator; it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu