An Egyptian mummiform light blue faience shabti with hieroglyphs written in black pigment. The shabti is presented standing in the traditional mummiform pose, with arms crossed, legs together and wearing a tripartite wig. Dark pigment outlines the hoes held in either hand. The face is modelled in relief, now heavily worn, with the eyes painted in black. A column of hieroglyphs is written in black pigment to the front of the shabti. To the reverse is a painted seed sack on its back. Encrustations and discolouration to the surface, which has faded the hieroglyphics inscriptions. Signs of wear as consistent with age, such as surface pitting, indentations, and chips. Shabtis (or ushbatis) are among the most numerous of all Egyptian antiquities, as they played a major role in funeral rites. They were intended to act as servants for the deceased and to perform any manual labour for their master in the afterlife. For this to be possible, it was necessary that each shabti present in the grave had the name of their master inscribed on it and also a summoning spell to which they replied. In fact, shabti – or ushabti – translates as “the answerer”. Such figurines could also be inscribed with passages from the Book of the Dead, the intention of which was to secure safety for the deceased in the afterlife. Measurements (Circa): H 9cm x W 3.4cm Provenance: Acquired on the London art market, 1970s.