A Granodiorite Ushabti, 12th/13th Dynasty, 1991-1640 B.C.

his arms crossed on his chest, and wearing a striated tripartite wig leaving the large ears uncovered, his broad face with full lips, slightly upturned nose, and large wide-set eyes with eyebrows in relief.

English private collection, Kent, formed in the early 20th Century
Charles Ede, Ltd., London, March 2001

Allard Pierson Museum, Archeological Museum of the University of Amsterdam, November 17th, 2006 – March 25th, 2007

Objects for Eternity, Egyptian Antiquities from the W. Arnold Meijer Collection, Carol A.R. Andrews and Jacobus van Dijk, eds., Mainz, 2006, pp. 66-67, no. 1.38, illus.

good and as shown, surface slightly worn, minor chips and abrasions
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Professor Hans Schneider writes (Objects for Eternity, p. 66): "On the eve of the Middle Kingdom, new concepts of life and death were developing. According to one of these, after his time on earth, man would live forever in a land where life was determined by a river that brought fertility, just like Egypt. Osiris, king of the gods, ruled over that agricultural paradise. However, this was not a place where everything was in peace and harmony – what one would perhaps expect from a paradise – but rather one where everyone had to look out for themselves and ensure themselves of the protection of Osiris and his helpers. In return for acquiring and keeping the status of glorified dead, one had to work in the kingdom of Osiris. Regardless of the rank or status enjoyed during life on earth, everyone, man or woman, master or servant, king or queen, actually had to work to earn their food. The statuette shown here is one of the oldest shabtis known (...). It depicts the owner of the shabti as a mummy with a striped divine wig. The arms are crossed on the chest, only the hands emerge from the bandages. This is the typical figure of Osiris, with whom the deceased is identified, because just like this god he hopes to rise from the dead."