Shabti of Sety I

Mummiform shabti wearing a fairly well carved plain tripartite wig which is quite voluminous and worn low on the forehead. The face is small and fairly round in shape. The eyes are poorly defined. The nose is broad and rubbed. The ears are very indistinct. The forearms are not modelled. The body is quite narrow and the buttocks are gently defined. Only a few traces of varnish remain on the wig, and behind the left upper arm. The shabti is inscribed with the throne name of the pharaoh Sety I, Menmmatra, within a cartouche and with the 6th Chapter of the Book of the Dead. Inscription: six lines; quite distinct. Carved from wood with remains of resin coating. One of fifteen wooden shabtis of Sety I in World Museum's collection. Transliteration and translation of the inscription: sHD Wsir nsw.t Mn-MAa.t-Ra mAa-xrw Dd.f i SAb.ty ip.t[n] ir aS.t ir Hsb.tw sA Ra sty-mr.y-(n)-PtH mAa-xrw r ir.t kA.t nb(.t) irr.t [i]m (m) Xr.t-nTr srwD sx.t r smH.yt wDb.w r Xn.t Say n iAb.tt r imn.tt is Hw sDb.w n.f im m s r Xr.wt.f iry, "The illuminated one, the Osiris, the King, Men–Maat–Re, justified, he speaks: O, these shabtis, if one calls, if one reckons, the Son of Re, Seti, Beloved (of) Ptah, justified, to do all the works that are to be done there in the realm of the dead – to cultivate the fields, to irrigate the river banks, to transport by boat at any time the sand of the east to the west and vice–versa – now indeed obstacles are implanted there for him – as for a man at his duties to work".