Origin: Egypt
Circa: 664 BC to 525 BC
Dimensions: 5.625" (14.3cm) high x 1.75" (4.4cm) wide
Collection: Egyptian
Style: Late Dynastic Period
Medium: Faience
Ushabti can be translated as “the answerer,†a term directly related to its function in the afterlife. Initially, only one ushabti was interred with the deceased. When the call came for the departed soul to “work,†the ushabti would take its place acting as a surrogate and leaving the soul in peace. Later, in the New Kingdom, hundreds of ushabti were part of the funerary accouterments and served as slaves, much as their human counterparts did in the real world. The number of figures depended on the individual's wealth. Ready for hard work, this elegant ushabti holds two hoes, one in each hand. Embodied in its form is the essence of ancient Egypt, combining the sacred element in the divine mummy shape, and the rural aspect of labor in the fields. Blue and green faience were the most prized and valuable, considered worthy even for kings. The lovely green of the stone reminds us of the verdant fields watered by the Nile, flowing eternally, as does the life force that nourishes all living things. - (PF.1134)
Antiquities Ancient Egyptian
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