Worker Shabti of Nauny
Unknown Artist
ca. 1050 B.C.
Medium
Faience
Dimensions
H 8.8 × W 3.3 × D 2.2 cm (3 7/16 × 1 5/16 × 7/8 in.)
Classification
Shabti, worker, Nauny
Period
Third Intermediate Period
Department
Egyptian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1930
Accession Number
30.3.26.42
Art Historical Context
Step into the mystical world of ancient Egypt with the *Worker Shabti of Na*, a petite faience figurine from around 1050 B.C. Crafted during Dynasty 21 of the Third Period, this 8.8 cm tall servant statue was designed to labor eternally for Nauny, likely a noblewoman or priestess from Thebes. Shabtis like this one embodied the Egyptian belief in the afterlife, where the deceased needed magical helpers to perform menial tasks, freeing the soul for eternal bliss. Made of vibrant blue-green faience—a glazed composite of quartz, lime, and clay fired to a glassy sheen—this shabti exemplifies acces...