Ushabti of King Ramesses IV

Ushabti of King Ramesses IV

New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty, c. 1153-1147 B.C.

Found within the tomb of Ramesses IV, Tomb KV2, Valley of the Kings

Musée du Louvre. N 438

Despite the Harem Conspiracy (Judicial Papyrus of Turin) organised in hopes to place Prince Pentawer (a son of Ramesses III & his wife Tiye) on the throne, Ramesses IV, Ramesses III’s chosen heir, became king after the assassination of his father Ramesses III.

Ramesses IV, was Ramesses III’s second son, who became heir to the throne after the death of the firstborn, Prince Amenherkhepshef, who died at just 15.

A funerary text was often written the body of the ushabtis, indicating the statuette’s purpose. It comes from the Book of the Coming Forth by Day, more commonly known as the Book of the Dead, a collection of spells concerning the deceased and his life after death in eternity. 

It calls on the deceased’s double, represented by the figurine, to take the deceased’s place and perform certain tasks, including agricultural jobs, which may be demanded of him in the afterlife.