Shabti of Sennedjem

This small limestone figure is carved to resemble a mummy, reflecting the ancient Egyptian belief that the deceased would need to perform manual labor in the afterlife. The figure holds a hoe and a pickaxe, with a basket slung over its shoulder, and is painted with vibrant blue, white, and red pigments. Vertical bands of hieroglyphic text run down the front, identifying the individual and invoking ritual protection.

The shabti reflects the Egyptian theology of the 'Field of Reeds,' where the deceased served the gods in an agricultural afterlife, and serves as a vital artifact for understanding ancient concepts of the soul's maintenance after death.