Shabti of the royal seal-bearer Imhotep
Medium:Glazed composition (faience)
Geography: Probably from Saqqara, Egypt
Date: c. 664-404 BC
Period: 26th (Saite) to 27th (Persian) Dynasty, Late Period
Object number: 982x2.2
DescriptionShabtis are small human-form figurines placed in tombs to assist the deceased with corvée labour as detailed in Spell 6 of the Book of the Dead. This standing mummiform figure has a frame of text extending below hands to ankle area with standard formulaic text. He stands on a small plinth 3 x 2 x 1 cm. The arms are crossed over the chest with fists that emerge from the shroud with thumbs extended. His right hand holds a mattock. His left hand holds a hoe and a cord connecting to a small woven seed bag on back of left shoulder. There is a dorsal pillar on the back from the base to the bottom edge of the wig. He wears a lappet wig and has an Osirian beard. The facial features, eyes, nose and mouth are well modeled and the ears are large.
