A Published Egyptian Faience Shabti for Ta-Gebtiu, Third Intermediate Period, 21st - 22nd Dynasty, ca. 1069 – 730 BCE
A well-preserved faience shabti of compact proportions, molded in mummiform with arms crossed and holding agricultural implements rendered in simple black-painted lines. The face is carefully articulated, with almond-shaped eyes and brows picked out in pigment beneath a smooth, rounded wig. The front carries a vertical inscription naming the owner, Ta-Gebtiu, while the back includes a painted seed-bag suspended over the shoulders, indicating the figure’s role as a substitute laborer in the afterlife. The inscription, though abbreviated, follows the standard formula invoking the shabti to answer when called upon to perform agricultural work in the Field of Reeds. The pale blue-green glaze, now softly weathered, retains good surface coverage, with minor abrasions consistent with age. The modeling is crisp for the type, and the painted details remain legible throughout. Medium: Faience Dimensions: Height: Height: 4 1/8 inches (10.4 cm) Condition: Good; minor surface abrasions. Provenance: Thilo and Izora Steinschulte private collection, VA, acquired in 1985 from Charles Ede, Ltd., London, then by descent. Accompanied by a copy of the original collector's paperwork. Published: Ede, "Small Sculpture from Ancient Egypt" Catalog XII, object #44