Egyptian Glazed Hieroglyphic Shabti

A faience glazed Egyptian shabti depicted with arms crossed, holding the hoe and basket typical of such funerary figurines. He wears the tripart wig with a plaited beard. His torso is decorated with inscribed hieroglyphs from the Book of the Dead.

Shabtis were placed in the tomb to act as servants in the afterlife for the deceased, their inscription calling them to life. The hoe and basket they carry implies that they were intended to farm in the afterlife or at least perform manual labour.

c. Late period, 664 - 332 B.C.