Ushebti of Meret-it-es

The ancient Egyptian government sometimes required of its people hard communal agricultural work. Concerned that such governments might exist in the hereafter, Egyptians created ushebtis to perform these tasks. As is clear on the large ushebtis, the figure's crossed left hand holds a pick to open hard ground; the right hand grips a hoe to mix clay for brick-making. Meret-it-es' name is on each ushebti; a long spell summoning them to work appears on the larger ones. (Ushebti appropriately means "responder.") Meret-it-es was buried with 305 ushebtis. The 14 large ones supervised the 291 others. The small ushebtis are ordered here in three groups corresponding to the different arrangements of hieroglyphs on them. By careful observation, archaeologists have determined that one group of artists made the small ushebtis on the left; another group of artists made those on the right; two other groups made those in the middle.

Purchase: William Rockhill Nelson Trust (by exchange)