Tag: ushabti

Viscera Figures

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date October 24, 2022

While the four 𓏽 figures of the Four Sons of Horus at the front of this display look like ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures, they are not!! There are some blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures behind the Four Sons of Horus though!

So what are these Four Sons of Horus figures? These are actually called “viscera figures” and they were meant to protect the internal organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾! Usually, the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺, liver 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜, stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻, and intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼 were removed, dried with natron, and placed in Canopic Jars for protection 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜.

In some cases, the organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦 of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 were mummified and put back in the body. This is where the viscera figures come into play – the viscera figures were then placed inside the mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 to protect 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the mummified organs 𓇋𓂧𓂋𓄹𓏦!

From the left: Duamutef 𓇼𓅐𓏏𓆑 had the head of a jackal 𓊃𓄿𓃀𓃥 and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the stomach 𓂋𓄣𓏻. Imsety 𓇋𓐝𓋴𓍘𓇋 had the head of a human and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the liver 𓅓𓊃𓏏𓄹𓏸𓏸𓏸. Qebehsenuef 𓏁𓌢𓌢𓌢𓆑 had the head of a falcon 𓃀𓇋𓎡𓅄 and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the intestines 𓈖𓊪𓅮𓄿𓏲𓏼. Hapy 𓎛𓐑𓊪𓇌 had the head of a baboon and protected 𓅓𓂝𓎡𓀜 the lungs 𓊃𓌴𓄥𓅱𓄺.

These pieces are dated to the Third Intermediate Period/21st Dynasty (c. 1000–945 B.C.E.). The viscera figures and the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures pictured were found in the burial chamber 𓄚𓈖𓏏𓉐 of Djedmutesankh in a tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 at Deir el-Bahri.

Tags artifact, gods and goddesses, sons of horus, the met, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

The Shabti Spell

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date September 18, 2022

We are going to be taking a (virtual) trip to the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology today 𓏇𓇋𓈖𓇳! As many of you know, I love ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures, so let’s take a closer look at this one!

The text 𓏟𓏛𓏥 on the ushabti 𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is a version of the “Shabti Spell” from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. This spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 gives the ushabti 𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 the power to complete tasks (farming, manual labor, etc) for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the Field of Reeds 𓇏𓏏𓈅𓇋𓄿𓂋𓅱𓆰𓊖. Many people (if they could afford it) were buried with at least 365 𓏲𓏲𓏲𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓏾 ushabti 𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures – one for each day of the year! Some were buried with even more!

The “Shabti Spell” usually starts off with the following phrase:

𓋴𓌉𓆓𓇶 – The Illuminated One

𓁹𓊨𓀭 – The Osiris

(Look at the first line of text on the ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 and start reading from the right!)

However, my favorite part of this ushabti 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾 figure is that the word “𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 shabti” appears very clearly on the piece! It is part of the spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 that says: “O these shabtis, if you are counted, to do all the works to be done there in the realm of the dead.”

Can you find “𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾” on the piece in the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏?

There are a bunch of different ways to write “ushabti” in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪! Just like in other languages, we can use the words “shabti” and “ushabti” to denote the same figures!

𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾

𓆷𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 (shortened version)

𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾

Tags artifact, hieroglyphs, petrie museum, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Museum Display at the Louvre

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 11, 2022

I love the randomness of some museum displays – there’s always so much to look at! By “randomness,” I’m referring to the varying objects that can be grouped together, however they are from the same time period so the conglomeration of different objects can give you a sense of the varying objects common during that period! It also gives you a look into the art styles that were popular!

Starting from the left, you can see a figure of the god Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜. Bes 𓃀𓋴𓄜 didn’t become commonly worshipped until the beginning of the New Kingdom. He was the god of childbirth, protector of the household 𓉐𓏺, and defender of all that is good! He was considered to be a “demonic fighter,” and was also a war god.

There are two 𓏻 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures with beautiful hieroglyphic 𓊹𓌃𓏪 inscriptions. These little guys were buried with the deceased and were meant to be their servants in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. Most ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾𓏪 are inscribed with a spell that tells you what their function was. When Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 called upon the deceased for labor, the deceased would say the spell on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 and it would come to life and perform the labor in place of the deceased!

Next are the sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪! A sistrum 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣 was almost like an ancient tambourine or rattle – while the part that makes the music is often not found intact, the handle with Hathor’s 𓉡 face usually is. Sistrums 𓊃𓈙𓈙𓏏𓏣𓏪 can be found dating back to the Old Kingdom, but most that are found are usually from the Late – Graeco/Roman periods.

And lastly, a statue of the goddess Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐! Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was one of my Nonno’s favorite mythological figures. Sekhmet 𓌂𓐍𓅓𓏏𓁐 was a war goddess and was associated with the destructive aspects of the sun 𓇳𓏺 (like the unrelenting heat of the desert).

Tags bes, gods and goddesses, hathor, louvre, sekhmet, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Blue Faience Ushabti of Seti I

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date August 11, 2022

This beautiful 𓄤 blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 belongs to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖! I have seen ones like this in other museums too! I love seeing the “same” pieces in museums around the world!

Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 had many faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures. His faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures are such a beautiful 𓄤 blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 color and are inscribed with hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 from Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead.

Chapter 6 is also known as the “Shabti Text,” and it is a spell 𓎛𓂓𓏛 that allows for the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 to take the place of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 if the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 is asked to do any type of work in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. This is why the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is holding a pick (𓌸) in each hand – he needs to be ready to work when called upon!

Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 Seti I 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 had over 700 ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 figures! The typical number was around four hundred – 365 worker ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪, and the rest were overseer ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪. Most of Seti I’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓌻𓇌𓁣𓈖 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 were wood 𓆱𓏏𓏺 – when Giovanni Belzoni discovered Seti I’s tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 in the Valley of the Kings in 1917, he used a lot of the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis 𓅱𓈙𓃀𓏏𓏭𓀾𓏪 as torches, so many of them were destroyed.

Not going to lie; fact still haunts me!! This was also one of my Nonno’s favorite stories to tell. I can still hear him in my head saying “Can you believe that idiot used ushabtis as firewood?!?!”

Tags artifact, seti i, the met, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Sati at the Brooklyn Museum

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 7, 2022

Look at how gorgeous this is 𓄤𓆑𓂋𓅱𓏭𓇑𓇑!!!

I have always been a huge fan of ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾, mostly because my Nonno loves them so much and he was so excited to talk about them when we went to museums! When I was a kid I loved how they would “come to life” in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and would do chores for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱! I mean, how cool is that??!! I used to think they were like dolls!

This is the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Sati, and the Brooklyn Museum has two 𓏻 of them! This piece is unique because of the color (I love the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 accents) and extreme attention to detail – the process to make it was so labor intensive that only a few like these were made!! While Sati was not royal (the only title associated with her was “mistress of the house”), these ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 were clearly a royal gift just due to the craftsmanship that went into making it.

The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 dates to either the reign of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 or Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖.

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, ushabti

Blog

Ushabti Friends!

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 2, 2022

Just hanging out with my ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 friends!

Me and the Ushabti display at the Brooklyn Museum!

I love ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 so much, and it’s probably because my Nonno loved them. If you can’t tell, I’m really happy in this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 – even with the mask on you can tell I’m smiling big!

Nonno always pointed them out in museums and he would tell me stories about how the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 were buried with the Egyptians 𓆎𓏏𓀀𓁐𓏪 so they could do chores in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐 and I thought that was so cool! I also liked them because they reminded me of little dolls!

As the display shows, ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 come in all different sizes and colors. Depending on the time period they were also made of varying materials such as faience, clay, limestone or sometimes even bronze (which is much rarer).

The ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾(most of the time people were buried with 365 worker ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 -one for each day 𓉔𓂋𓏺𓇳 of the year and then also a bunch of overseer ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾) often had spells inscribed on them which showed the task they were responsible for!

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, ushabti

Blog Egyptian Artifacts

Wooden Ushabtis of Seti I

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date July 1, 2022

My Nonno took this picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 and I love the fact that you can see his reflection in the glass. I know that technically makes this “not a good picture” in photography terms, but that is what makes the picture 𓏏𓅱𓏏 so special to me. I love being able to see him and his point of view while going through old pictures 𓏏𓅱𓏏𓏦 because I miss him so much.

Wooden Ushabtis of Seti I at the Vatican Museum

These are the wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠. While only about 700 of these wooden 𓆱𓏏𓏺 ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 remain, it is estimated that Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 had over 1000 of them. What happened to the ones that are missing? They were used for firewood 🤦🏽‍♀️ My Nonno frequently told me about this – he was not happy that artifacts were destroyed! Anytime Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 came up in conversation (which was often because he was one of my Nonno’s favorite pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦) my Nonno would say “can you believe some idiots used his ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 as torches??!!”

Seti I’s 𓇳𓁦𓏠 remaining ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 are in museums throughout the world and I have always been on the lookout for them whenever I go to a museum! Originally, my Nonno and I would always point them out to each other. Now whenever I see them, they are a reminder of my Nonno.

Tags artifact, nonno, seti, ushabti, vatican museum

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabtis of Paser

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 28, 2022

While my favorite non-royal has always been Senemut 𓌢𓈖𓅐𓀼 due to his prominence and importance during Hatshepsut’s 𓇋𓏠𓈖𓎹𓏏𓄂𓏏𓀼𓏪 reign, my Nonno’s favorite has always been Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽. These are some of Paser’s 𓅮𓀙𓀽 ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾. The ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 served as substitutes for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and would perform labor or jobs for them in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. They are usually inscribed with spells which are specific to a certain task!

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 was one of the most prominent men of his time and he served under two 𓏻 pharaohs 𓉐𓉻 – Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 and then Rameses II 𓇳𓄊𓁧𓇳𓍉𓈖.

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 served many different roles over twenty-five 𓎆𓎆𓏾 years! He was vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 and one of his most famous works is the tomb 𓇋𓐫𓊃𓉐 of Seti I 𓇳𓁦𓏠 in the Valley of the Kings! A vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was the highest ranking official 𓋴𓂋𓀀 and was the most powerful position in the government, besides the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻. Not only was the vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 the most trusted advisor to the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻, but he also saw to the day-to-day operations of the government. The vizier 𓅷𓏏𓏺𓀀 was in charge of architecture, taxation, agriculture, military, judicial, financial, and many other things. Honestly that sounds exhausting 😂!

Paser 𓅮𓀙𓀽 had many different titles, including “High Preist of Amun,” “superintendent of every work of the king,” and “chief of secrets of the hieroglyphs.”

Tags artifact, louvre, paser, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti of Sati

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 26, 2022

This is the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 of Sati, and the Brooklyn Museum has two 𓏻 of them! The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 dates to either the reign of Amenhotep III 𓇳𓁧𓎠 or Akhenaten 𓇋𓏏𓈖𓇳𓅜𓐍𓈖 (New Kingdom, Dynasty 18, c. 1390-1352 B.C.E.).

This piece is unique because of the color (I love the blue 𓇅𓆓𓏛 accents) and extreme attention to detail – the process to make it was so labor intensive that only a few like these were made!! While Sati was not royal (the only title associated with her was “mistress of the house”), these ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 were clearly a royal gift just due to the craftsmanship that went into making it.

This ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is made out of faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 and is mummiform in appearance, with the arms 𓂝𓏦 crossed along the chest. In each hand 𓂝𓏺, the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is holding a hoe and a basket. This indicates that the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 was meant to do some type of agricultural labor for the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐! The ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 is also wearing a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Tags artifact, brooklyn museum, ushabti

Egyptian Artifacts

Ushabti Broad Collar

Post author By ancientegyptblog7
Post date June 24, 2022

This is one of the more interesting pieces that I have ever seen in a museum! I don’t believe I have seen anything like it outside of the Petrie Museum in London! It combines two of my favorite things – ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 and Egyptian jewelry!

This broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 is dated to the 21st Dynasty (Third Intermediate Period c. 1069 – 747 B.C.E.). There are 62 𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓎆𓏻 faience 𓋣𓈖𓏏𓏸𓏼 ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 that make up their broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝 and they come in green 𓇅𓄿𓆓𓏛 and blue 𓇋𓁹𓏏𓄿𓏸𓏥 colors! The ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 are about 4cm in height so they are pretty tiny! I love tiny things so tiny ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 to me are just so cute!! There are also beads of many different colors that adorn the broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝.

Normally, ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 were buried with the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 and were meant to be their servants in the afterlife 𓇼𓄿𓏏𓉐. I do not know if the ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 in this broad collar are supposed to be worker ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 or are for adorning a mummy 𓇋𓁹𓅱𓀾 for burial!

Normally ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 are buried in shabti boxes and inscribed with a spell that tells you what their function was. When Osiris 𓁹𓊨 𓀭 called upon the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱 for labor, the deceased would say the spell on the ushabti 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 and it would come to life and perform the labor in place of the deceased 𓅓𓏏𓏱!

As a kid I really loved ushabtis 𓆷𓄿𓍯𓃀𓏏𓏮𓀾 because they reminded me of little dolls and my Nonno used to tell me stories about them! He loved them too and he made leaning about them so much fun!

Tags artifact, jewelry, petrie museum, ushabti

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