THE SEPULCHRAL STATUETTES CALLED SHAWABTI-FIGURES.
These small sepulchral statuettes were placed in the tomb to act as servants of the deceased. The deceased in the underworld became a subject of Osiris, and he was supposed to work in the world beyond the tomb as he had done in this world. For that reason statuettes, known as shawabti-figures, were placed in the tomb to act as substitutes for the deceased to relieve him of any irksome duties he might be called upon to do. As the deceased was mummified in the likeness of Osiris, so these sepulchral figures take that same mummy form. Many of them were dedicated by actual servants of the deceased, who, in that way, gave their services to their master in the under-world as they had done during his daily life. And these figures by being his substitute they represent him, bear his insignia as well as his names and titles. Hence in this series we find these statuettes, although always of mummy form in compliment to the deceased, represented wearing the appropriate attributes of either the private or the official life of the king. Some bear merely his prenomen and nomen, titles and epithets, while others bear as well the formula included in the VIth. Ch. of the Book of the Dead which reads:
"O Shawabti, if the Osiris N be appointed in the Netherworld to perform any of the tasks that are performed yonder, even as a man is bounden, namely, to cultivate the fields, to flood the meadows, or to carry the sand of the East to the West, then speak thou, 'Here am I.' "
With these figures are even rêises (overseers of gangs) who hold the ribbon and the flagellum, and with them are quantities of miniature agricultural implements.
Such a prospect as field work in the realms of the hereafter would not be uncongenial to a peasant, in fact it ensured him a continuance of the life he lived on earth, but it would present a very different aspect to people of higher rank - kings and queens, high officials, priests, ladies and the like. Hence in their funerary equipment these workers could not be dispensed with. Apparently, later, a new terror connected with these figures crept in! - what if the deceased met with an enemy in the hereafter who rendered them disloyal to him. This possible difficulty was obviated by adding to the usual formula the words: "Obey him only who made thee, do not obey his enemy."
Among these funerary statuettes we find single specimens of especially fine work, treated in some cases as portraits; but although the general standard of workmanship here is undoubtedly high, they being workers for a king, the mass of them have obviously been manufactured by the quantity rather than for quality.
List of shawabti-figures. Antechamber = 1
Treasury = 176
Annexe = 236
413
Miniature agricultural implements of copper, glazed pottery, and wood.
Treasury = 793
Annexe = 1073
1866
Material employed (1) wood, (2) wood, gesso-gilt, (3) alabaster (calcite), (4) limestone (white, yellow and crystalline), (5) crystalline sandstone (quartzite), (6) granite (black), (7) violet (lapis) glazed pottery, (8) pale blue (turquoise) glazed pottery, (9) blue glazed pottery, and (10) white glazed pottery.
Materials employed: wood carved
wood gesso-gilt
painted wood
wood gesso on linen & painted
quartzite
calcite
yellow limestone
crystalline "
limestone
granite grey & black
black granite
light and dark blue glazed pottery
violet " "
white " "
318, a. <> <>
330, J. <> <>
318, C <> <>
330, I. <> <>
318, B. <> <>
330, K <> <>
1) Made by the servant beneficial to his master
Neb-khepru-Re, the overseer of the treasury Maya
2) Made by the true servant beneficial to his lord,
the king's scribe, Mîn-Nekht, for his lord, the Osiris,
lord of the Two Lands, Neb-khepru-Re, justified.
3) Made by the fanbearer on the right hand of the king,
... Mîn[nekht], for his lord, the Osiris,
Neb-khepru-Re, justified.
4) Made by the king's scribe, the general Mîn-nekht, for his lord,
the Osiris,
the king, Neb-khepru-Re, justified.
5) Made by the servant, beloved of his lord, the general Min-Nekht,
for his lord, the Osiris, the king, Neb-khepru-Re, justified.
6) The Osiris, the king, Neb-khepru-Re, justified, made by
the servant who makes to live the name of his lord, the general
Min-Nekht.
Min-Nekht is probably the same man who excavated
the tomb for King Ay.
He is probably the same man who is mentioned on an unpublished
stela at Ekhmim. There is one stela of the same person
in the B.M. and at Berlin.
SERIES
<>
(v denotes special large figures)
SEQ. NO MATERIAL NO. PROVENANCE
v 110 wood, carved 1 Antechamber = 1
v 318, A. " " 1 Treasury
v 318, B. " " 1 "
v 318, C. " " 1 "
322, A. Quartzite 1 "
322, B. " 3 "
322, E " 2 "
322, G. Granite 2 "
v 325, A. wood, carved 1 "
v 325, B. " " 1 "
v 326, A. " " 1 "
329, A. Quartzite 4 "
329, E. " 3 "
329, H. " 4 "
v 330, A. wood, gesso-gilt 1 "
v 330, B. " " " 1 "
v 330, C. " " " 1 "
v 330, D. " " " 1 "
v 330, E. " " " 1 "
v 330, F. " " " 1 "
v 330, G. " " " 1 "
v 330, H. " " " 1 "
v 330, I. wood, carved 1 "
v 330, J. " " 1 "
v 330, K. " " 1 "
330, L. limestone. 2 "
330, N. " 1 " = 39
337, A. Quartzite 5 Annexe
337, B. " 2 "
337, C. " 3 "
v 458 - wood gesso-gilt 1 "
v 496, A " " " 1 "
514, A Quartzite 4 "
514, B. " 3 "
514, C. " 2 "
514 D. " 1 "
v 601 - wood carved 1 "
605, D. Quartzite 2 "
605. E. " 2 "
605.G " 4 "
v 620-(113) wood carved 1 " = 32
72
SEQ. NO. MATERIAL NO. PROVENANCE
459, G. Calcite 1 Annexe = 1
SERIES
<>
SEQ. NO. MATERIAL NO. PROVENANCE
602, C. wood painted (+ gilding) 1 Annexe = 1
SERIES
<>
SEQ. NO. MATERIAL NO. PROVENANCE
328, A. Calcite 1 Treasury
328, C. " 2 "
328, H. " 3 " = 6
380, B. " 1 Annexe
459, C " 1 "
459, D " 2 " = 4
10
SERIES
<>
SEQ. NO. MATERIAL NO. PROVENANCE
319, A. wood, painted 7 Treasury
323, O. " " 1 "
323, P. " " 1 "
325, E. wood, gesso-gilt 1 " (ankh in R.H.only)
326, Y turquoise blue glazed pottery 1 "
327, EE. Blue glazed pottery 10 "
328, B. Calcite 1 "
328, K. " 1 " = 23
380, C. " 1 Annexe
380, E. " 1 "
418, C. wood linen gesso painted 1 "
418, D. wood painted 4 "
459, A. calcite 3 "
459. B. " 1 "
512. C. wood gesso-gilt 4 "
517. C. " " " 1 "
608. A. " " " 5 " = 21
44
SERIES
<>
OR
<>
SEQ. NO. MATERIAL NO PROVENANCE
326, B. Wood, gesso-gilt 1 Treasury
326, C. Violet glazed pottery 3 "
328, E. Calcite 3 "
328, L. " 2 " = 9
380, D. " 2 Annexe
380, F. " 2 "
380, G. " 1 "
459, E " 5 "
459. F. " 7 "
496. B. Wood gesso gilt 3 "
496. C. " " " 2 "
519. A. Violet glazed pottery 1 "
519. B Blue " " 1 "
519. C. Turquoise blue glazed pottery 4 "
602. A Wood gesso gilt 3 "
602. B. Wood painted (& gilding) 1 "
602. D " " " 2 "
602. E. " " " 2 " = 36
45
SERIES
<>
SEQ. NO MATERIAL NO PROVENANCE
319, H. Wood, Painted 8 Treasury
323, A. " " 6 "
323, G. Wood gesso on linen painted 5 "
324, A. " Painted 6 "
324, J. " " 2 "
324, L. " " 5 "
325, D. Wood, gesso-gilt 1 " = 33
418, A. Wood gesso on linen painted 3 Annexe
418, B. " " " " 2 "
418, G. Wood painted 3 "
512. A. Wood gesso-gilt 7 "
512. B. " " " 2 "
517, D " " " 2 "
517. G. Wood painted 1 "
517. H. " " 4 "
608. B. Wood gesso-gilt 2 "
608. C. " " " 9 "
611. A. Wood painted 4 "
611. B. " " 7 " = 46
79
SERIES
<>
OR
<>
water vessel
SEQ. NO. MATERIAL NO PROVENANCE
322, I. Quartzite 2 Treasury
323, L. Wood, painted 3 "
324, G. " " 3 "
324, Q " " 4 "
325, C. Wood, gesso-gilt 1 "
325, F. Blue glazed pottery 1 "
326, F. Violet glazed pottery 11 "
326, Q Turquoise blue glazed pottery 5 "
326, V. Blue glazed pottery 2 "
326, X. " " " 1 "
327, A. White glazed pottery 7 "
327, H Turquoise blue glazed pottery 4 "
327, L Blue glazed pottery 1 "
327, M. Turquoise blue glazed pottery 8 "
327, U " " " " 6 "
327, AA. " " " " 3 "
327, DD. " " " " 1 "
328, N Calcite 1 "
329, L Limestone, yellow. 1 "
330, O. Limestone (crystalline) 1 " = 66
380, A " " 1 Annexe
418, E. Wood painted 4 "
418, F. " " 3 "
496. D. Turquoise blue glazed pottery 3 "
496, E. " " " " 7 "
512. D. Wood gesso-gilt 3 "
512. E. " " " 4 "
517. A " " " 2 "
517. B " " " 3 "
517. E. Wood painted 2 "
517. F " " 2 "
519. D. Blue glazed pottery 1 "
519. E. White " " 4 "
519. F. " " " 5 "
602. F Violet " " 31 "
605. A Limestone (yellow) 1 "
605. B. " " 1 "
605 C. Quartzite 3 "
605 F. Granite (black) 1 "
608 D. Wood gesso-gilt 3 "
608. E. " " " 3 "
611. C Wood painted 8 " = 95
161
SERIES
<>
RE: SHAWABTI-FIGURES
See Gardiner, The Tomb of Amenemhet, p. 116.
Spiegelberg and Newberry, Theban Necropolis, pp. 28-29.
Erman, Egyptian Religion, pp. 67, 68, 79, 141 and 189.
especially
"Figures intended to work for the dead in the Realm of Osiris"
Stela of Minnakht. The Hague. von Bissing AZ.64/113. pl. IV.
<>
Stela Blue glaze in Louvre. C.55. Trans. Soc. Bibl. Arch. VIII.306.
<>
<>
Berlin stela dated year 4 of Ay. L D. III.114 i.
(1)
MATERIALS TYPES SIMILAR EXAMPLES
Limestone 330, L 330, M X
Quartzite 322, E. 322, F, 329, a, b, c, d. X
Granite 322, G 322, h.
Limestone 330, N X
Quartzite 322, a 329, h, i, j, k. X
Quartzite 322, b 322, c, d, 329, E, F, G.
Calcite 328, c. 328, d. X
Calcite 328, b.
Calcite 328, E. 328, F, G.
Calcite 328, a 328, H, I, J.
Calcite 328, K
Calcite 328, L. 328, M.
Quartzite 322. I X
Granite 322. J
Calcite 328, N. X
Crystalline limestone 330. O. X
limestone (yellow) 329. L. X
(40 shawabtis)
(2)
MATERIALS TYPES SIMILAR EXAMPLES
Wood, gesso-gilt, faces painted
330, a. 330, b.
330, c. 330, d.
330, E.
330, F.
330, G.
330, H.
Wood, faces painted 326, a
325, a 325, b.
Wood, details gilt and painted
330, I
318, B.
330, J.
318, A.
318, C.
330, K.
(3)
MATERIALS TYPES SIMILAR EXAMPLES
Wood, gesso-gilt 326, B. X
325, C. X
325, d.
325, E.
Wood, coloured red 323, A. 323 b, c, d, e, f, 329. F. X
323, G. 323 h, I, J, K, 319 G.
323, L. 323, M. N.
319. C. 319, E. D. X
323. O. X
323. P.
Wood, coloured yellow 319, h 319, I, J, K. L X
319. a. 319. B.
Wood coloured yellow 324, a. 324, b, c. d, e, f. X
Wood coloured red 324, J. 324. K, L, N, O, P, 319, o.
324, G. 324 h, i.
324, M. 324 Q, R. S, T, 319, M. N.
(71 shawabtis)
(4)
MATERIALS TYPES SIMILAR EXAMPLES
Faience (violet) 326, E. 326, c. d.
" " 326, F. 326, G, H, I, J, K, L. M. N. O. X
" " 326, P
Faience (white) 327, b 327, a, c. d, E, F, G. X
Faience (light blue) 326, R 326, Q, S, T. U. X
" " 327, H. 327, I, J, K. X
" (dark blue) 327, L
" (light blue) 327, M. 327, N.
" " " 327. O. 327, P
" " " 327, Q. 327, R, S. T. X
" (light & dark blue) 327, W. 327, U. V, X. Y. Z. 325, F, 326, X,
327 AA, BB, CC, 3276 V, W, 327 dd.
" ( " " ) 327, EE. 327, FF, GG, HH, II, JJ, KK, LL,
326, Y, 327 MM, NN.
(64 Shawabtis)
Nos. 458, 601 and 620 (No. 113) are single figures, probably from the same box as the specimen (No. 110) found lent against the S. wall of the Antechamber.
See Nos. 318, 319.
322, 323, 324, 325, 326,
327, 328, 329, 330.
From Treasury.
See No. 110 Antechamber
Shawabtis. Implements
Chemical Analysis
330 Q
Tested:-
1 Basket = copper, no tin
1 Hoe - do -
1 Yoke - do -
1 Pick copper, but contains a small proportion of tin
326 Z
Tested
1 Pick = copper, no tin.
Notes re Kiosks Nos. 322 to 328
Note: 328 in N.E. corner below 323.
329 " " " below 324
326 " " " beside 329
327 " " " " 328
324-323 - on top of 329 and 328
329 328
325 on top 326 327 322 on top
Note
For types of kiosks see photos Nos. 318, 322 and 325
For types of gable topped plain wooden boxes see photo No. 316.
(August 15, 2009)
