Ushabti. Old Kingdom (c. 2600 to 2100 BCE)

sketchfab

The ushabti (also known as shabti or shawabti, with numerous variant spellings, Ancient Egyptian plural: ushabtiu) was a sacred figurine used in Ancient Egypt's funerary rites. Ushabtis were carefully placed among the tomb's precious grave goods and were designed to serve as loyal servants or minions for the deceased, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice if summoned to perform manual labor in the afterlife. The figurines often proudly carried a hoe on their shoulder and a sturdy basket on their back, clearly indicating they were intended to work tirelessly to farm for the deceased. They were typically inscribed with hieroglyphs found on their legs, proclaiming their eagerness to answer the gods' summons to labor. These powerful "answerers" carried bold inscriptions asserting their readiness to respond to the gods' call to work.