Shabti of Pad-di-khonsu-iy

Blue glazed faience mummiform shabti wearing a plain tripartite wig with a seshed headband tied at the back added in black. The face on the figure is poorly defined. Eyes with brows are added in back paint. A small pair of breasts are faintly modelled below the front lappet of the wig. As an ‘overseer’ the shabti wears the customary kilt of everyday life with a projecting frontal apron. The figure appears to be a modified worker shabti because the arms are crossed above the waist instead of having one arm hanging pendant by the side, although the right arms seems to be mostly obliterated by the kilt that appears to have been applied to the body. The protruding elbows confirm the arms to be crossed. A whip is held in the right hand although it is only faintly added in black. A vertical column of inscription is added in black on the front reads: “The Osiris, Pa–di–khonsu–iy”. There are two shabtis for this owner in our collection and so far no other parallels have been found in other museums or collections. CONDITION NOTE 1998: Worn, concretions, surface loss, surface dirt.