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Wooden shabti: E.79.1955

An image of Ushabti
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An image of Ushabti
Current Location: Gallery 19

Titles

Wooden shabti

Entities

Categories

Description

Shabti, with hieratic inscription in black ink. A shabti (or shawabti or ushabti) is a small mummiform figure that was put in tombs in order to 'answer the call' to perform tasks on behalf of the deceased such as tilling and irrigating the lands. This example is inscribed with a magic spell in the heiratic script.

Measurements and weight

Height: 10.5 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1955) by Elderton, William Palin, Sir

Dating

13th Dynasty
Middle Kingdom
Circa -1773 - Circa -1650

Materials used in production

Wooden

Techniques used in production

Carved

Identification numbers

Accession number: E.79.1955
Primary reference Number: 62935
Oldadmincategory: SU

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Friday 18 July 2025

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Antiquities

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Wooden shabti" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/62935 Accessed: 2025-12-06 14:41:43

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/62935 |title=Wooden shabti |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-06 14:41:43|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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