Shabti Box of Djedmaatiuesankh

shabti-box-of-djedmaatiuesankh
shabti-box-of-djedmaatiuesankh

GEM Number

2382

Collection

Main Galleries

Period

Third Intermediate period

Description

A painted wooden shabti box belonging to Djedmaatiuesankh who served as a ‘Chantress of Amun-Re’ in Dynasty 21. The shabti (funerary figurines) required for her burial would have been deposited in this box, where they were believed to lie sleeping until summoned to work on her behalf in the afterlife. The box has a barrel vaulted roof associated with the Lower Egyptian shrine. It is made of a number of wooden pieces pegged together and plastered over. The recumbent figure of god Anubis is shown holding the crook and flail of kingship on one side of the box, while Djedmaatiuesankh appears kneeling with one raised knee on a papyrus boat on the opposite side. She wears a red fillet and a long dress. The two short sides of the box show the left eye of the sun god with the hieroglyph for the West reaching out to extend life to the deceased and the ba (spirit) of Djedmaatiuesankh standing over food offerings in a gesture of adoration presumably toward the sun god. 

Region
unknown
Painted Wood

Height

35 cm

Width

25 cm

Length

48 cm