Quartzite painted white core, glazed in light blue to dark green
Egypt, Ptolemaic Dynasty (332-30 BCE)
Five ushabtis (funerary offerings) in mummy form
Dimensions: max. 6.6 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm (height x width x depth)
Provenance: Private Collection Bruno Wertz
Scientific research: Dr. Jan Moje, Free University of Berlin (see references below)

The convolute consists of five small ushabtis that served as funerary offerings in ancient Egypt. The small figures of light blue to dark green glazed quartzite with white core originate from the Ptolemaic Dynasty (332-30 BCE). The ushabtis in mummy form are wearing long, three-parted wigs, leaving the ears free. The swung wig rags are lying on the chests. One ushabti does not have visible ears, they are to be imagined hidden under the hair. On their chins are sometimes god’s beards, sometimes of swung form. The arms are running against each other in front of the breasts and end in large hands, holding plastically moulded crosiers or working tools. Grooves that are supposed to represent little bags of seeds, are depicted on the left shoulders. These five pieces do not show traces of former inscriptions. Such ushabtis that were formed of moulds in large quantities and glazed in this typical blue colour were common in the early Ptolemaic Dynasty. Especially Upper and Lower Egypt are known as places of manufacture of pieces of this type. At the time, strong canonisation of the funerary offerings can be observed in the entire Nile land.



The five ushabtis are in age-appropriate, complete preserved condition with age-related abrasion and colour losses. Details like faces, hands and wigs are almost entirely abraded. The glazing is well-preserved on all pieces except one. At some pieces the material below the glazing becomes visible. Three of the ushabtis are installed on a modern perspex plinth. The glue of the installation is browned. The dimensions are 5.5 x 1.3 x 1 cm, 5.3 x 1.5 x 0.5 cm, 5.3 x 1.8 x 1 cm; 5.7 x 1.6 x 1.2 cm and 6.6 x 2.1 x 1.2 cm.



Auctionata would like to express its deep gratitude to Dr. Jan Moje for the scientific preparation of the collection and the research for the text. We do declare explicitly that the pricing of the objects of this auction does not derive from Dr. Jan Moje. Please do not hesitate to contact Auctionata for further background research information about the objects, especially the deciphermentof hieroglyphics.

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