The Afterlife
The afterlife was a dangerous place, where those without the requisite knowledge could become lost, trapped, or worse, face the second death. Preparation was key, as a badly stocked tomb could even affect those who had passed judgement.
Shabtis – human figurines - who could be called upon to carry out work on behalf of the deceased, were an important element of the tomb. These were often inscribed with Spell 6 from the Book of the Dead, the so-called “shabti spell”.
Wooden models were first placed in tombs at the end of the Old Kingdom. In the Middle Kingdom, some models were carved in a mummiform shape (wrapped like a mummy) and given an agricultural function; these were the first shabtis.
From the New Kingdom, shabtis came in many sizes and in various materials; most were made from faience or wood, though figures of stone and metal are also known. Although in the 18th Dynasty, a person might include only a single shabti in his tomb, by the Third Intermediate Period, hundreds were buried; many were mass-produced in moulds.