Anonymous Shabty

A shabty was supposed to take the place of its owner whenever heavy labor was required in the afterlife. This finely detailed example carries two hand hoes, two baskets, and a yoke. It is unusual for so fine a shabty to lack the owner’s name, which bound it in eternal service to the individual. There are traces of paint on the eyes and eyebrows; perhaps the name was also painted. The damage at the bottom of the chin, apparently caused by the removal of a beard, suggests that this shabty was originally made for a man and later reworked for a woman.