A carved limestone shabti with remains of yellow and orange pigment to the tripartite wig, face and eyes. The figure is depicted in typical mummiform with a vertical band of hieroglyphic inscription in black on the front giving dedication: 's?? wsir ?bt-iyiry(?) m?? ?rw' The illuminated, the Osiris, Abet-iyiry(?), true of voice; with remains of red borders and red detailing to the back.
Supplied with modern stand.
New Kingdom, 19th-20th Dynasty, 1307-1070 B.C.
Condition: very fine, complete and intact.
Height 11 cms (4.3 ins)
Provenance: Acquired 1970s-1996. Property of a North American collector. London collection, 2016.
Ushabti figure, also spelled shabti or shawabty, are the small statuettes that are often found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Their purpose was to act as a magical substitute for the deceased owner when the gods requested him to undertake menial tasks in the afterlife; the word ushabti is usually translated as "answerer."