Golden Nemes Ushabti of Tutankhamun
Among the innumerable treasures discovered within the tomb of Tutankhamun, none speak more tenderly of the Ancient Egyptian belief in the afterlife than his ushabtis; the small, spell-bound servants who would labour in eternity on behalf of their master. More than four hundred and fifteen of these figures were found within the Boy King’s tomb (Tomb KV62), fashioned in materials ranging from simple faience to exquisite wood and gold. Together, they formed a silent retinue as royal workmen of the fields of paradise.
This particular figure, carved from fine wood, its surface is richly gilded, depicts the king wearing the golden nemes headdress adorned with the uraeus cobra and vulture, symbols of divine sovereignty. His eyes, of obsidian and quartz, gleam with an almost living presence. In his crossed arms he clasps the crook and flail, emblems of rulership and fertility, signifying that even in death, Tutankhamun reigns as both shepherd and master of his eternal domain.
Ushabti of Tutankhamun in the Blue Crown of War
Down the front of the statue runs a beautifully incised inlaid inscription of a version of Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead, the traditional Ushabti Spell that was believed to animate the figures.
It reads as follows:
“The illuminated one, the Osiris, King Nebkheperure, justified, he says:
O these ushabti figures, if one calls, if one reckons, if one counts the Osiris, King Nebkheperure, to do any work there in the realm of the dead;
‘Here am I,’ you shall say, if you are called at any time to cultivate the fields, to irrigate the riverbanks, or to ferry sand from East to West.”
In this spell lies a charming paradox; the ushabti is both servant and double of the deceased, ready to answer on his behalf when the gods summon him to toil in the afterlife. Through such magic, the Ancient Egyptians ensured not only rest for the dead, but the continuity of divine order itself.
This golden figure of Tutankhamun is more than a funerary charm; it is a miniature king, radiant and serene, standing eternally at attention beneath the gaze of the gods. It embodies the promise that, though the body may rest, the spirit of the Pharaoh still rises at dawn; gilded, eternal, and forever saying, “Here am I.”
Summary:
Ushabti Figure of Tutankhamun with Golden Nemes (Wood overlaid with gold leaf, inlaid eyes of obsidian and quartz)
New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty, reign of Tutankhamun, c. 1332–1323 B.C.
From the Tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), Valley of the Kings. Egyptian Museum, Cairo. Gem Museum. JE 60713
