Object Description
A very fine Ancient Egyptian, light blue-glazed faience shabti with hieroglyphic inscriptions to the front. The figure wears a plain lappet wig and a collar around his neck. The face is modelled in relief with the facial features (eyebrows, nose and mouth) portrayed in black pigment. Linear strokes represent the arms in a standard pose, shown right crossed over left on the chest, with the hands holding a pair of hoes. The figure carries two bags over his shoulders, possibly a basket for grain or flasks. Painted on the back is a curved yoke with crossed cords and two pots, along with a brick mould underneath. Such agricultural equipment were characteristics of ‘worker’ shabtis, included in burials to provide labour in the afterlife. Upon the front of the shabti, a column of hieroglyphs is inscribed in black pigment. The inscription transliterates as “sḥḏ wsỉr ḳnw ḫꜥs mꜢꜥ ḫrwm”. This translates as “The illuminated one, the Osiris, Qenu-khayes, the justified”. The first line includes the hieroglyphic signs: ???? the combination of cobra and pear-shaped mace, ???? the sun with rays, and ???? the folded cloth. Together they form the word “sḥḏ” meaning “the illuminated one”. The next two lines consist of 3 hieroglyphic signs; the eye ????, the throne ???? and a seated god ????. Together they form the word “wsỉr”, referring to the god Osiris. In this case, the deceased is referred to as “the Osiris”. The subsequent signs are less clear but these hieroglyphs should refer to the title or name of the deceased.
Date: Circa 1292-1069 BC
Period: New Kingdom, 19th-20th Dynasty