Overseer Ushabti of Keny
Musée du Louvre. N 2706
This finely carved limestone funerary figure belonged to a man named Keny. Unlike ordinary ushabtis, which were intended magically to perform agricultural labour for the deceased in the afterlife, overseer ushabtis were represented as supervisors, directing the other funerary servants.
Keny is shown wearing an elaborate pleated kilt and shirt, a broad usekh collar, curled wig and small beard. Upon his chest is a striking Ba-Bird with outstretched wings, evoking the Ba, an aspect of the individual capable of moving between the tomb and the world of the living after death.
The Soul in Ancient Egyptian Theology
The hieroglyphic inscription contains a version of the traditional ushabti spell, calling upon the funerary servant to answer on behalf of its owner when work was demanded in the hereafter.
As far as the surviving documentation shows, its original find spot is unknown. The Louvre’s catalogue gives no place of discovery for Keny’s overseer ushabti; it records only that it came from the collection of Henry Salt and was purchased by the Louvre in 1826.
The Ushabti Formula
The ushabti formula was a magical text intended to activate the figurine and compel it to work on behalf of the deceased in the afterlife. Its best-known form corresponds to Spell 6 of the Book of the Dead.
The deceased addresses the ushabti directly, instructing it that whenever they are summoned to perform compulsory labour in the realm of the dead, the figure must answer in their place; “Here I am.”
The tasks described include cultivating fields, irrigating the land, moving earth and carrying sand from one bank of the Nile to the other.
The formula reflects the Egyptian belief that the afterlife could include obligations resembling those of earthly life. Through magic, the ushabti became a substitute worker, allowing the deceased to enjoy the benefits of the hereafter while the figurine performed the required labour. On many surviving ushabtis the spell is abbreviated, while more elaborate examples preserve much longer versions of the text.
Ushabti
Ushabtis were small funerary figures placed in Ancient Egyptian tombs to serve the deceased in the afterlife. Inscribed examples often bear a spell calling upon the figure to answer in its owner’s place should agricultural labour be demanded in the world beyond. Over time, increasingly large groups of ushabtis were provided, sometimes accompanied by specially distinguished overseer figures intended to supervise the workforce.
Ancient Egyptian Statues: Their Many Lives and Deaths
Summary:
Painted Limestone Overseer Ushabti of Keny
Ramesside Period, c. 1295–1069 B.C.
Formerly in the collection of Henry Salt; acquired by the Louvre in 1826.
Musée du Louvre. N 2706
