Egyptian statue Elite Ushabti / Shabti figure of Ptah-Mose

Ptah-Mose Ushabti figure



Dimensions - height - 24 / 9-1/2 inches

Base - 6 cm x 6 cm / 2-3/8 x 2-3/8 inches



This tall, elegant male figure is a replica shabti statue mounted on a modern, lightly polished felt based stand. He is shown wearing his finest attire, pleated garments, sandals, an intricate wig and a broad decorative collar necklace.

Shabti's were figures made singularly or in multiples for the express benefit of a tomb owner and were inscribed to come to life in the next world to perform any unsavoury task that may be required by the god Osiris in the afterlife. Egypt was primarily an agricultural society from the very beginnings hence the reason this statue clasps farming implements ready for duty.



Made of a limestone and quartzite composition stone, this statue has been given a well developed aged green patina.

The figure rests on a polished stand which has been given a light polish.



*Combined postage offered.


Extra information - This shabti has some of the best details to be found in the shabti statuette form. It is an example of the most elaborate form that the shabti ever evolved into and is virtually a small statue as opposed to the typical mummiform/ anthropoid figures that you may see in my other listings. It features the high fashions worn in life during the late 18th/early 19th dynasty but appears to have a Rameside era face thus dating it firmly to the 19th.

The name of the person written on the Shabti in Hieroglyphics is Ptah-Mes / Ptah-May or Ptah - Mose. Pronunciation is very close to one of these. In June of 2010 it was announced that a certain ancient individual, Ptah-Mes had a tomb constructed in the Saqqara necropolis which had recently been excavated. It usually takes a while before an announcement reaches us, for the archaeologists need time to quantify if it is worthy of public announcement.

I think news reports should include a daily global archaeology minute...announcing to the world of the multiple new global discoveries that are found more regularly than what actually makes it to the prime time news... I would be thrilled to hear about the unearthing of a lost nose of an Easter Island figure or a broken piece of painted floor discovered at Akhetaton / Amarna showing just the sandal on the foot of the king. Such a thing has already been found but is hardly newsworthy for the general public. Speaking of sandals, this figure wears a well defined pair of them!


Background information of Shabti figures:-

Known by other names such as Shawabti & Ushabti. The name stems from the name of a particular Nile tree known as the Sha-wab and early figures were made from its wood. As wood became a scarce commodity, later figures employed a great variety of materials such as clay, faience{opaque blue green glass} plaster and stone depending on what you could afford. As mentioned these figures were placed within the tomb of an individual to magically come to life performing any work required by the god Osiris in the afterlife. A modest burial would have one or two figures, however during the late period the quantities included within a burial increased to allow a shabti for each day of the year plus overseers. Some burials had even more.