AMANDA-ALICE MARAVELIA

Two Faience Shabtis from the Egyptian Collection

at the Benaki Museum

AMONG THE BENAKI MUSEUM’S superb collections of the afterlife. The bright green colour usually associated
ancient and modern objects1 can be found three small with this substance (although faience also appears in
collections of Egyptian antiquities, namely bone carv- other colours) was related to the rebirth of everything in
ings,2 clay figurines3 and faience objects.4 The major nature, alluding to an Osirian connotation.7
part of the faience collection was donated by Lucas The use of shabtis by the Egyptians of antiquity is well
Benaki to the Museum between 1959 and 1974; the few attested and understood.8 They were funerary figurines,
inscribed pieces were acquired during the 1930s. The usually mummiform in appearance, which developed
collection comprises about 140 pieces (more than 90% during the Middle Kingdom out of the funerary statu-
uninscribed), most of which date from the Ptolemaic and ettes and models placed in the tombs of the Old King-
Greco–Roman Periods up to AD 300, although several dom. A plausible etymology of their name (they were
pieces date from the New Kingdom (NK), Third Inter- known as wëbty from the Late Period onwards) derives
mediate Period (TIP) and Late Period (LP). It includes from the verb wëb(ἰ), which means answer, respond.9 The
objects of various kinds, among them funerary imple- purpose of these statuettes was to magically spare their
ments such as several amulets (mainly divinities), two owners from the menial corvée labour in the afterlife
funerary pectorals (one inscribed) and nine small shabtis (at the Field of Reeds) by which deceased humans were
(seven inscribed). Seven of these are on permanent loan required to produce their own food. Many shabtis are in-
from the private collection of Georgios Leotsakos. scribed with a version of Utterance 6 from the Book of the
Faience5 was a material used at various periods of his- Dead.10 The two faience shabtis studied here belong to
tory in the manufacture of many types of object, includ- the Museum’s small but interesting Egyptian collection.
ing beads, pectorals, statuettes, votive objects, steles, The first of them was donated by Lucas Benakis during
tiles, animal figurines, vases, jars, lamps, plates, bowls the late 1960s. The second is a recent acquisition, part
(Nunschale) and chalices bearing floral and/or zoomor- of the permanent loan from G. Leotsakos. Both objects
phic decorations, as well as a vast number of amulets and come with no information as to their provenance.
shabtis. Faience was primarily valued for its latent sym-
bolism, because it was regarded as a manifestation of the B 21.830
colour of the sky and of light, as is clear from its ancient Typology: Class VIIIa2 / W21-H4-I5-B15-Tp7b
Egyptian name,6 t Ên.t, which derives from the old stem Date: Mid Dyn. XXI - Early Dyn. XXII
t Ên(ἰ), meaning sparkle, be dazzling. Ancient Egyptians Colour: Sky-Blue Paste (bearing magenta-violet
connected faience with the sun’s regeneration from the decoration)
Netherworld and the subsequent dazzling light, which Dimensions: 9.5 cm (max height)
was essential for the well-being of deceased humans in This is a faience shabti in a mediocre to bad state

2, 2002 19
 AMANDA-ALICE MARAVELIA

of preservation, bearing an unframed column of short

illegible inscription on the front (figs 1-2). Its colour
is sky-blue (or blue-turquoise), and its dimensions are
as follows: H. 9.5 cm, L. 3.9 cm, B. 2.1(base)-1.5 cm.
The paste is damaged and missing in several places
(especially head, face, body and thighs). At the bottom
of the base and on the back there are places showing
patina. The deceased is portrayed wearing the tripartite
wig (a TIP striated lappet wig), a considerable part of
which is now damaged. The striation is depicted with
magenta-violet paint (see below), which has disap-
peared on the right side part of the wig. The side parts
of the wig continue along the forearms, curve slightly
and reach down to the palms of the deceased, running
almost parallel to the agricultural tools he is holding.
The face is almost totally damaged and the left ear is
broken. The right ear is extant and protrudes over the
right side part of the wig.11 Few traces of the paste re-
main on the face. There are no different colour paste
inlays on the object. The deceased holds two mr-hoes
in his hands (or hbs-hoes, Gardiner’s U6), painted on

the sky-blue paste with a magenta-violet colour deriv-
ing from manganese oxide (MnO). Only the hands
and part of the forearms protrude from the chest and
the upper part of the body. The thickness of the body
hardly varies from the shoulders to the toes, although
it becomes somewhat narrower near the feet. On
the back of the figure is an elaborate rectangular bag
painted with the same magenta-violet colour, depicted
as attached to the wig by straps (which are also painted
in the same way).
The shabti originally carried a short hieroglyphic in-
scription running down from the chest to the feet as an
unframed column, which is now illegible and almost
completely destroyed. The last and only extant symbol
looks like the 1⁄4d-hieroglyph (Gardiner’s R11) and is
situated near the feet. The object has no pillar on its
flat back and cannot stand upright. It appears to be of
Fig. 1-2. The shabti 21. 830, donation of L. Benakis (photo:
mediocre craftsmanship, and was most probably mass
K. Manolis).
produced in a funerary workshop for use at a burial.
On the basis of stylistic similarities this object should Fig. 3-4. The shabti B/L 83 part of the permanent loan from
be dated to Dynasty XXI (c. 1070-945 BC) or slightly G. Leotsakos (photo: K. Manolis).
later, but in any case not later than the beginning of
Dynasty XXII of the TIP (terminus a quo c. 1000 BC,
terminus ad quem c. 900 BC). Indeed, the thick-set bo-
dy of the object is consistent with shabti models cur-

20 ΜΟΥ Σ Ε Ι Ο ΜΠΕΝΑΚΗ
 Two Faience Shabtis from the Egyptian Collection at the Benaki Museum

rent at the end of Dynasty XXI or even the beginning hand. The rope holding the agricultural bag (a Saite
of Dynasty XXII, mainly in the Theban area. trapezoid bag with crossed oblique pattern and loop)
runs parallel to the hoe on the left side of the body, then
B/L 83 over and round the back of the shoulder to keep the
Typology: Class X1a1 / W36-H4-I8-B28-Tp0 bag in place. The tools are incised in high relief, as are
Date: Dyn. XXX the beard and the facial features of the deceased. Only
Colour: Blue the hands and part of the forearms protrude from the
Dimensions: 12.2 cm (max height) chest and the upper part of the body is more volumi-
This is an uninscribed faience shabti in an excellent nous in shape, reminiscent of the swollen type of coffin
state of preservation (figs 3-4). Its colour is blue, and its characteristic of the second half of the LP.13 The shabti
dimensions are: H. 12.2 cm, L. 4.2 cm, B(mean) 2.5 has a pillar on its back, which starts where the wig ends
cm (the sides of the base, which, unlike that of the pre- and stops at the base, but it cannot stand upright. The
vious piece, is well and clearly defined, are 2.8 cm, 2.1 whole composition and style evoke official undertones.
cm and 2.5 cm, while its maximum height is 0.9 cm). On the basis of stylistic similarities this object can be
The base is separated from the body of the statuette, dated to Dynasty XXX (380-343 BC); indeed, the agri-
like a low pedestal. The deceased is depicted wearing cultural tools sculpted in high relief are reminiscent of
the tripartite wig (in this case the Saite common plain the style of shabti models during that period. During
lappet wig), which is well preserved. The face is almost the reign of this last Egyptian (autochthonous) Dy-
perfectly preserved, the eyes have the characteristic nasty, the Nectanebos14 presented the temples with rich
Egyptian stare –as if gazing on eternity– and both ears offerings, tried to reconstruct Egypt and invested the
are extant and protrude over the wig. The eyes, lips, artistic style with a pharaonic nuance which is evident
and nose are very prominent and well sculpted. How- in this shabti.
ever, part of the face and almost the whole of the chest A large number of shabtis similar to those described
are decolorized and have a white appearance, having above can be found scattered all over the world in vari-
lost their blue paste coating; the same applies to the ous Egyptian collections. Since nothing is known of the
agricultural tools, but not to the hands. The deceased context of the objects presented here, it would appear
wears the divine beard, an indispensable feature of his somewhat superfluous to attempt any specific compari-
saÊ–status,12 as is the mummified representation of his sons, since this would reveal neither their actual prov-
body which alludes to its post mortem essence of purity enance nor the exact date of their production.
and virtual union with the divine. The beard itself is
plaited, runs parallel to the side parts of the wig and Dr Amanda-Alice Maravelia
ends at the same height as these. The deceased holds a Egyptologist/Archaeoastronomer
mr-hoe (or hbs-hoe, Gardiner’s U6) and a cord in his Université de Limoges / Athens

right hand, and a pick (without cross bar) in his left e–mail: [email protected]

N OTES
* I should like to thank Prof. Dr A. Delivorrias for per- 1. D. Fotopoulos, A. Delivorrias, Greece at the Benaki Mu-
mitting and encouraging the study and publication of these seum (Athens 1997) 130-33, for a few of the Egyptian objects
faience shabtis. Warm thanks are also due to those in charge on display. For an introduction to the Egyptian Collections at
of the Museum’s Egyptian Collection (Mrs E. Papageorgiou the Benaki Museum, see also A.-A. Maravelia, Ὅτι πλεῖστα
and Mrs A. Ziva) for their kind assistance. I am also grateful θωμάσια <Αἴγυπτος> ἔχει καὶ ἔργα λόγου μέζω παρέχεται
to Prof. Dr. W. van Haarlem and Dr. J.-L. Chappaz for con- πρὸς πᾶσαν χώρην... Egyptian Collections in Hellenic Mu-
firming the dating and for some comments on typology. seums: A Brief History and Some Pieces, in: A.-A. Maravelia

2, 2002 21
 AMANDA-ALICE MARAVELIA

(ed.), Ancient Egypt and Antique Europe: Two Parts of the don 1994), provides a sound basis for this discussion. For the
Mediterranean World. Papers from Session 30, held at the 7th symbolism of colour, see for example Wilkinson (op. cit.) 104-
Annual Meeting of the EAA in Esslingen 2001 (BAR S1052, 25. On the various colour nuances of faience, cf. G. Posener et
Oxford 2002) 15-29 esp. 17-18 and 21-22. al. (eds), Dictionnaire de la Civilisation Égyptienne (1992) 110.
2. L. Marangou, Bone Carvings from Egypt, I: Graeco-Ro- See also I. Shaw, P. T. Nicholson (eds), British Museum Dic-
man Period (Tübingen-Athens 1976). tionary of Ancient Egypt (Cairo 1996) 95-96 (hereafter BMD).
3. S. Pingiatoglou, The Coroplastic of Egypt during the Hel- 8. The standard discussion of ancient Egyptian shabtis is
lenistic and Roman Eras, 300 BC-AD 400 (Athens 1993). found in H. D. Schneider, Shabtis: An Introduction to the
History of Ancient Egyptian Funerary Statuettes with a Cata-
4. A.-A. Maravelia, Ancient Egyptian Inscribed Faience
logue of the Collection of Shabtis in the National Museum of
Objects from the Benaki Museum in Athens, 1, JNES 61,2
(2002) 81-109. Antiquities at Leiden I-II (Collections of the National Museum
of Antiquities at Leiden II, Leiden 1977). See also W. M. van
5. See, for instance P. T. Nicholson, Egyptian Faience and Haarlem (ed.), Corpus Antiquitatum Aegyptiacarum: Allard
Glass (UK, Shire Egyptology 19, 1993). A modern book on Pierson Museum I-III (Amsterdam 1986-95); J.-F. Aubert,
this topic, featuring many faience pieces and referring to re- L. Aubert, Statuettes Égyptiennes: Chaouabtis, Ouchebtis (Paris
cent articles, is F. D. Friedman (ed.), Gifts of the Nile: Ancient 1974). Cf. also W. M. F. Petrie, Shabtis (Warminster 19742);
Egyptian Faience (London 1998). For an interesting collec- E. T. White, Some Remarks on the Sepulchral Figures usu-
tion of several types of faience items, E. Riefstahl, Ancient
ally called Ushabti, PSBA 18 (1896) 138-45 pls 1-10.
Egyptian Glass and Glazes in the Brooklyn Museum (Brooklyn
Museum, Wilbour Monographs 1, New York 1978); see also A. 9. See for instance BMD, 266-67, which contains more
Kaczmarczyk, R. E. M. Hedges, Ancient Egyptian Faience: An discussion on shabtis. See also LÄ VI (1986) 896-900 s.v.
Analytical Survey of Egyptian Faience from Predynastic to Ro- Uschebti.
man Times (Warminster 1983), and LÄ II (1977) 138-42 s.v.
Fayence. The standard discussion of ancient Egyptian faience 10. See for instance: R. O. Faulkner, O. Goelet, The Egyp-
and glazing is found in A. Lucas, Ancient Egyptian Materials tian Book of the Dead: The Book of going forth by Day. Being the
and Industries (London 19624). Cf. P. T. Nicholson, E. J. Papyrus of Ani (San Francisco 19982) 101; R. O. Faulkner, The
Peltenburg, Egyptian Faience, in: P. T. Nicholson, I. Shaw Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead (London 19934) 36-37.
(eds), Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology (Cambridge See also P. Barguet, Le Livre des Morts des Anciens Égyptiens
1999) 177-94. Cf. also the article by P. Vandiver, W. D. (Paris 1967) 42. This spell is certainly older than the NK,
Kingery, Egyptian Faience: The First High-Tech Ceramic, since it is also attested in the Coffin Texts (cf. Utterance 472).
in: W. D. Kingery (ed.), Ceramics and Civilization III (Co- On this topic, see A. de Buck, The Egyptian Coffin Texts I-VII
lumbus-Ohio 1987). Finally, see J. V. Noble, The Technique (Chicago 1935-1961); R. O. Faulkner, The Ancient Egyptian
of Egyptian Faience, AJA 73 (1969) 435-39. For the various Coffin Texts I-III (Warminster 1973-1978) esp. II 106-07.
faience techniques and kyanos, see also M. S. Tite, Egyptian
Blue, Faience and Related Materials: Technological Inves- 11. On the use of wigs, see for instance BMD, 117-18.
tigations, in: R. E. Jones, H. W. Catling (eds), Science in 12. For this, see Schneider I (n. 8) 65-67. This hybrid en-
Archaeology (Athens 1986) 39-41; see also M. S. Tite, I. C.
tity was considered to partake of both the divine and human
Freestone, M. Bimson, Egyptian Faience: An Investigation
hypostases. The saÊ-status was achieved through a religiously
of the Methods of Production, Archaeometry 25,1 (1983) 17-
27. For a concise general introduction to the techniques and correct burial, at which the corpse was mummified and pro-
history of Egyptian faience, see P. T. Nicholson, Faience, in: vided with a mummy mask and a special coffin in order to
D. B. Redford (ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt attain the bliss of incorruptibility in the hereafter.
I (Oxford 2001) 491-96. 13. See for instance M. Jørgensen, Catalogue EGYPT III:
6. A. H. Gardiner, Egyptian Grammar: Being an Introduc- Coffins, Mummy Adornments and Mummies from the TIP, LP,
tion to the Study of Hieroglyphs (Oxford 19883 = 10th Impres- Ptolemaic and Roman Periods (Copenhagen 2001) 18.
sion) 505.
14. See for instance N. Grimal, A History of Ancient Egypt
7. R. H. Wilkinson, Symbol and Magic in Egyptian Art (Lon- (Oxford 19922) 375-81.

22 ΜΟΥ Σ Ε Ι Ο ΜΠΕΝΑΚΗ
 Two Faience Shabtis from the Egyptian Collection at the Benaki Museum

AΜAΝΤΑ-AΛΙΚΗ MΑΡΑΒΕΛΙΑ
Δύο ουσσάπτια από φαγεντιανή στην Αιγυπτιακή Συλλογή του Μουσείου Μπενάκη

Στην παρούσα μελέτη εξετάζονται δύο ουσσάπτια από των απλών ανθρώπων) ήδη από το Μέσο Βασίλειο σε
φαγεντιανή που βρίσκονται στην κατοχή του Μουσείου μεγάλες ποσότητες (αρχικά ένα, αλλά από το Νέο Βα-
Μπενάκη. Το πρώτο ταφικό αγαλμάτιο (τύπου VIIIa2/ σίλειο πολλές φορές 365, ένα για κάθε μέρα του χρό-
W21-H4-I5-B15-Tp7b) χρονολογείται από την εποχή νου, συν 36 επιστάτες, συνολικά 401), αρκετές φορές μέ-
της ΧΧΙ Δυναστείας (περ. 1070-945 π.Χ.) και αποτελεί σα σε κιβώτια. Τα ουσσάπτια κατασκευάζονταν από διά-
τυπικό παράδειγμα ουσσαπτίου της περιόδου αυτής και φορα υλικά, όπως φαγεντιανή, επιχρωματισμένο ξύλο,
της αμέσως επόμενης (πρώιμη ΧΧΙΙ Δυναστεία, περ. 900 ασβεστόλιθο, ορείχαλκο, κερί κ.λπ. Κατ’ αυτό τον τρό-
π.Χ.). Έχει χρώμα κυανό, η κατάσταση διατήρησής του πο τα ουσσάπτια, μπορώντας να ενεργοποιηθούν με
είναι κακή και παρουσιάζει έντονες αποκρούσεις. Ορατά θαυματουργικό τρόπο από τη μαγική ευχή ανά πάσα
είναι ίχνη ιώδους χρωστικής, για την απεικόνιση των στιγμή, ήταν σε θέση να υποκαταστήσουν τον νεκρό
δύο επιζωγραφισμένων αρότρων που κρατά η μορφή. Το στις κοπιώδεις αγγαρείες, τη στιγμή κατά την οποία θα
αντικείμενο αυτό φέρει σχεδόν ολοσχερώς κατεστραμ- απολάμβανε την παραδείσια γαλήνη. Έτσι τα μακάρια
μένη επιγραφή, η οποία είχε αποδοθεί με χρήση της ί- πνεύματα (αρχ. αιγ.: Ah.w) θα μπορούσαν να “γεύονται”

διας ιώδους χρωστικής και της οποίας μόνον ίχνη δια- στο διηνεκές τις απολαύσεις της τροφής, των ποτών,
σώζονται πλέον (συγκεκριμένα το σύμβολο τατ). της δροσερής αύρας και να αγάλλονται παίζοντας το ό-
Το δεύτερο ταφικό αγαλμάτιο (τύπου X1a1/W36-H4- μορφο παιχνίδι ζενέτ (ένα είδος ζατρικίου, αρχ. αιγ.:
I8-B28-Tp0) χρονολογείται από την εποχή της ΧΧΧ Δυ- zn.t), μαζί με τους αγαπημένους τους, αλλά και να λα-
ναστείας (380-343 π.Χ.) και αποτελεί επίσης τυπικό πα- τρεύουν τις θεότητες σε άμεση επαφή μαζί τους. Ας ση-
ράδειγμα αυτής της περιόδου, και κυρίως της τελευταίας μειωθεί ότι η ονομασία αυτών των μαγικών αγαλματίων
γηγενούς Δυναστείας πριν από τη δεύτερη περσική κατά- είναι αρχαία αιγυπτιακή που σημαίνει ἀποκρινόμενος,
κτηση της Αιγύπτου. Έχει χρώμα σκουρόχρωμο κυανό ἀπαντών [από το ασθενές ρήμα wëb(i)].
και η κατάστασή διατήρησής του είναι σχεδόν άψογη. Η Τα ουσσάπτια συνιστούν την εξέλιξη των αρχαιότε-
κεφαλή, τα χαρακτηριστικά του προσώπου, η φενάκη, το ρων ταφικών αγαλμάτων του Αρχαίου Βασιλείου που α-
πλεκτό λειτουργικό υπογένειο, και τα γεωργικά εργαλεία ποτελούσαν πιστά αντίγραφα των νεκρών. Τα ουσσά-
(άροτρο, σχοινί και σκαπάνη) που φέρει η εν λόγω μορ- πτια της πρώιμης περιόδου του Νέου Βασιλείου συνο-
φή έχουν αποδοθεί άψογα σε έκτυπο ανάγλυφο, αν και δεύονταν πολλές φορές από σκαπάνες και καλάθια, δη-
ορισμένα μέρη τους είναι αποχρωματισμένα λόγω απο- λαδή ομοιώματα των γεωργικών εργαλείων που χρειά-
κόλλησης του κυανού πολτού της φαγεντιανής. ζονταν στους αγρούς του παραδείσου. Από την Τρίτη
Τα ουσσάπτια (αρχ. αιγ.: wëbty.w) είναι συνήθως μι- Ενδιάμεση Περίοδο και εξής μερικά ουσσάπτια επιστα-
κρού μεγέθους αγαλμάτια, τα οποία παρίσταναν τον τών (που υποτίθεται ότι θα επέβλεπαν την εργασία των
νεκρό μουμιοποιημένο, κρατώντας γεωργικά εργαλεία, απλών ουσσαπτίων) συνοδεύονταν από μαστίγιο, ενώ
όπως άροτρα, σκαπάνες κ.λπ. Πολλά ήταν ανεπίγρα- κατά την Ύστερη Περίοδο το μαστίγιο άρχισε να απο-
φα, ενώ αρκετά έφεραν σύντομη επιγραφή με το όνομα τελεί ενιαίο τμήμα του αγαλματίου. Επίσης, τα εν λόγω
και τον τίτλο του νεκρού, χαρακτηρίζοντάς τον ως φωτι- αγαλμάτια του Νέου Βασιλείου δεν φέρουν πάντοτε τα
σμένο Όσιρι (αρχ. αιγ.: sÊ1⁄4 Wsἰr). Τα μεγαλύτερα από ενδύματα-περιτυλίξεις της ταρίχευσης, αλλά κανονικά
αυτά έφεραν μαγική επωδό, η οποία θα συντελούσε στη φορέματα. Κατά την Ύστερη Περίοδο, το κυριότερο υ-
δυνητική τους ζωοποίηση και στην πρόθυμη προσέλευ- λικό για την κατασκευή τους ήταν η φαγεντιανή, ενώ τα
σή τους στους αγρούς, μόλις ο νεκρός που παρίσταναν καλύτερης ποιότητας παραδείγματα προέρχονται από
τα καλούσε. Επρόκειτο συνήθως για παραλλαγή της Ε- την ίδια περίοδο (Δυναστείες ΧΧVΙ-ΧΧΧ). Πράγματι, η
πωδού 6 της Βίβλου των νεκρών, η βασική μορφή της ποιότητα κατασκευής τους ποικίλλει, και ενώ τα χειρό-
οποίας παρέμεινε η ίδια από το Νέο Βασίλειο έως και τερα –συνήθως ξύλινα– δείγματα προέρχονται από τη
την Ύστερη Περίοδο. Τα αγαλμάτια αυτά τοποθετού- ΧVΙΙ Δυναστεία, κατά το Νέο Βασίλειο υφίστανται
νταν στις διάφορες ταφές (τόσο των βασιλέων όσο και πολλές περιπτώσεις εξαίρετης τέχνης ουσσαπτίων. Επί-

2, 2002 23
 AMANDA-ALICE MARAVELIA

σης η ποσότητά τους διέφερε από περίοδο σε περίοδο ταφές οδήγησε στην κατασκευή ειδικών κιβωτίων, συ-
και από ταφή σε ταφή. Στην περίπτωση της ταφής του νήθως ξύλινων, τα λεγόμενα κιβώτια ουσσαπτίων. Η
φαραώ Σήθου Αʹ, πατέρα του Ραμεσσή Βʹ (του Μεγά- χρήση τους περιορίσθηκε πάρα πολύ κατά την Πτολε-
λου), βρέθηκαν περίπου 700 τέτοια μαγικά αγαλμάτια. μαϊκή Περίοδο, προς το τέλος της οποίας εξέλιπαν.
Η αύξηση της ποσότητας των ουσσαπτίων σε διάφορες

24 ΜΟΥ Σ Ε Ι Ο ΜΠΕΝΑΚΗ