Whenever I am in a museum, I take so many pictures of the different ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช that are on display! There are so many different types, and each type is beautiful ๐ค in its own way!
These particular ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช that are are called โstick ushabtisโ by archaeologists. Stick ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช are made of wood ๐ฑ๐๐บ, have a roughly mummiform shape, no artistic details, and have an inscription ๐๐๐ฅ on the front. Most stick ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช are dated to the end of the 17th Dynasty to the beginning of the 18th Dynasty.
The function of these stick ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช also seem to be different than that of the regular ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช that are found in tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ whose function was to perform tasks for the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ in the afterlife ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐. The stick ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช have only been found in Thebes ๐๐๐, in the above ground chapels that were found near tombs ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ.
Instead of being a worker for the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ, stick ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช represented the family ๐ ๐๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ฆ members of the deceased ๐ ๐๐ฑ, and were placed in the above ground chapel as a way to symbolize family ๐ ๐๐ ฑ๐๐๐๐ฆ members being close to their dead ๐ ๐๐ฑ loved one.
The stick ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช were usually placed in their own model coffins ๐ด๐ ฑ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฆ, just like in the first picture ๐๐ ฑ๐! I always liked the model coffins ๐ด๐ ฑ๐๐๐ฑ๐ฆ, because I love tiny things! As a kid, the ushabtis ๐ท๐ฟ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐พ๐ช reminded me of dolls, and how cool is it to have a doll-sized ancient Egyptian coffin ๐ด๐ ฑ๐๐๐ฑ!!!