ushabti (funerary sculpture)

ushabti (funerary sculpture) , 1800s

Where object was made: Egypt

Material/technique: glaze; earthenware

Credit line: William Bridges Thayer Memorial

Accession number: 1928.3104

Not on display

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Thayer Today

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was fashionable among wealthy Europeans and Americans to acquire ancient objects either taken from Egypt or versions made to resemble ancient artifacts for personal collections or decoration. Small, glazed shabti (funerary figurines) like this one proliferated the art, archaeological and tourist markets. This small shabti is located in the Cabinet of Curiosities in the exhibition Empire of Things.

Empire of Things

Mummification was a popular funeral custom in Ancient Egypt in which the body had essential organs removed and was then purified with oils, wrapped, and placed in a coffin. The mummification process was believed necessary to help the deceased transition into the afterlife.

Cabinet of Curiosities

Empire of Things