Shabti with horizontal bands of inscription
Unknown Artist
1295–1070 B.C.
Medium
Wood, plaster, paint
Dimensions
H 24 × W 5.9 × D 4 cm (9 7/16 × 2 5/16 × 1 9/16 in.)
Classification
Shabti
Period
Ramesside Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lucille Miller, 2011
Accession Number
2011.231
Tags
Art Historical Context
This wooden shabti, created during Egypt’s Ramesside Period (Dynasties 19–20, 1295–1070 B.C.), served as a magical servant for the deceased. In ancient Egyptian belief, such figures were placed in tombs to perform any labor the gods might demand in the afterlife, freeing their owner for eternal rest. Standing only 24 centimeters tall, this compact example would have been one of many placed in a burial, ready to answer the call of its inscribed spells. Made of wood coated with plaster and painted, the figure carries horizontal bands of text across its body. These inscriptions typically quote c...