Archive Updates 2015-2020
October 5, 2020
Page ‘Sources‘
New Spanish edition on shabtis in museum and private collections written by shabti enthusiast Javier Uriach Torrello. Although I unfortunately do not speak Spanish, I enjoyed browsing the book and it is a valuable addition to my library. Beautiful photos and everything seems neatly described. It contains more than 80 shabtis, 29 of which are from museums (16 of them from Museu de Montserrat) and 53 from private collections, 36 of which are from the author’s collection.
Uriach Torello, J.
AQUI ESTAMOS! Estatuillas funerarias egipcias de algunas colecciones de Barcelona
ISBN 10: 8409176661 / ISBN 13: 9788409176663, 242 pages
Published by Userkaf Patrimonial SL, Barcelona, 2020
August 19, 2020
Page ‘Royal Cache DB320‘
In my August 24, 2020 update, I incorrectly attributed this shabti to Nesykhonsu. Mr. Glenn Janes was kind enough to inform me that this shabti is her daughter. Text on the shabti reads ‘Nes-ta-nebt-Ischeru, justified, daughter of Nesy-Khonsu’.
Photo GJ
July 27, 2020
Page ‘Sources‘
Names and titles of published shabtis researched and published by Jean-Luc Chappaz. Here you will find more than 17,000 bibliographical references (name – title (s) – relationship – bibliographic reference). The classification according to the names inscribed on the statuettes and the distribution of attestations according to the major periods of Egyptian history.
April 4, 2020
Page ‘Royal Cache DB320‘
Mostly unpublished pictures of Royal Cache coffins added to the DB 320 shabtis with links to the website of the Theban Royal Mummy Project.
March 28, 2020
Page ‘Sources‘
The Amasis Collection:
A new publication of Glenn Janes with a foreword of Jean Thomassen. It holds detailed and very interesting information about the shabti art market over the last 60 years and holds high quality rare old and new photo’s, research, references and background material about discoveries, shabtis, tombs, coffins, finding spots, etc. This is a book for the library of serious dealers, collectors, musea and universities.
More info on www.shabtis.com
February 23, 2020
Page ‘Rare and special shabtis‘
Beautiful New Kingdom shabti of Hori with extremely rare attributes like the scribal palette and papyrus roll or a short, stout staff. Interestingly, although the inscription is damaged, enough survives to indicate that Hori was not a scribe. Source: Brooklyn Museum
April 28, 2019
Page ‘Royal Cache DB320‘
Shabti of Nesykhonsu (Nestanebetisheru, see update September 18, 2020), daughter of Nesykhonsu.
Private collection UK.
Photo GJ
March 19, 2019
Page ‘Sources‘
Excellent first publication (576 pages, hardcover) of the Gate of the Priests, also known as Bab el-Gasus and Cache II, in the series of Culture & History of the Ancient Near East. Contributions of Rogério Sousa, Maria Cristina Guidotti, Marianne Zarli, Rogério Sousa, Deborah Vannucci and Kathlyn Cooney with coffins, shabti boxes, provenance documents and 92 Cache II shabtis of 47 owners. ISBN-10: 9004386491
December 3, 2018
Page ‘Pharaoh shabtis‘
In my overview I attribute the shabtis of
Shoshenq II to Shoshenq I (founder of the 22nd Dynasty) based on the 2018 publication of
Mr. G.P.F. Broekman in Göttinger Miszellen no. 254. His research makes it highly likely that Shoshenq II and Soshenq I are in fact the same person. For this reason I omitted Shoshenq II in the 22nd Dynasty overview of Pharaoh’s.
September 30, 2018
Page ‘Sources‘
In June 2018 a very nicely worked out catalogue by Therea Kohl was issued in Germany. It describes the shabtis in the Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum in Hildesheim. Like the Janes series the shabtis are displayed in real size. Excellent study material because the issuer added a CD with high resolution photos of all shabtis and fragments. ISBN-10: 3806788227.
June 24, 2018
Page ‘Rare and special shabtis‘
Three unique terracotta shabtis,
ca. 16 cm, 19th-20th Dynasty.
Photo: Christie’s
April 2,2018
Page ‘Royal Cache DB320‘
Worker of Pinedjem I
Added in the overview as |
Worker 5
July 5, 2017
Page ‘Royal Cache DB320‘
A very good friend found a photo of an extremely rare, special and magnificent styled and painted overseer of Pinedjem I. It is added in the overview as Overseer 2.
May 25, 2017
Page ‘Pharaohs‘
The only known ushebti from Psamtek III is removed from the Pharaoh page because my earlier doubts are supported by a basalt (stone) replica of Tuthmoses III that might be from the same workshop.
On the Pharaoh page I wrote that the Psamtek III was a strange anomaly. Nobody known to me has seen it and another ushebti of stone from this period (around 525 BC) was not known to me either. The discovery of the Tuthmoses III fake convinced me that the Psamtek is from recent date. Maybe even from the Grand Tour period when high end fakes and replica’s were sold to tourists.
On the left fake Tuthmoses III, basalt, auction Coutau-Bégarie 31/05/17, lot 184.
Photo: catalogue Coutau-Bégarie
On the right assumed fake Psamtek III, stone, 27 cm, somewhere in the South of Germany.
Photo: unknown
April 17, 2017
Page ‘Royal Cache DB320‘
In February, I found the second shabti coffin of the Third Intermediate High priest Pinedjem I in the Mummification Museum in Luxor. I was surprised that it was completely different from the one in Cairo. The size looks similar but this one has 3 compartments, the one in Cairo 2. The beautiful decoration is also different.
I estimated the size of the boxes, but they might differ from my compilation. The vertical stroke below right in front of the side panel is part of the cabinet and the left panel is mirrored.
Backside shabtibox Pinedjem I in the Mummification Museum of Luxor
April 11, 2016
Page ‘Sources‘
Released today a superb catalogue of the shabtis in the Liverpool Museum by Glenn Janes, see example. The photos are life-size and of excellent quality. The references, written details and translation of hieroglyphs are outstanding. A ‘must have’ for museums, antiquities dealers and collectors of ancient Egyptian artifacts. See www.shabtis.com
April 4, 2016
Page ‘Chronology‘
Shabti of Hat JE39590, Adjutant reign of Akhenaton, before and after the robbery at the Cairo Museum
February 21, 2016
Page ‘Pharaohs‘
Thanks to courtesy of a Dutch collector a photo is added of the only known complete specimen of 26th Dynasty King Ahmose II
January 21, 2016
Page ‘Sources‘
Dr. Bron Lipkin’s site ‘collector-antiquities.com’ (if the site does not open, use Google to find it, unfortunately the link seems to be blocked by Chrome, DB 06/2020) added with information about fakes. Spanish site of Moises Gonzalez Sucías added with loads of information.
January 3, 2016
Page ‘Royal Cache‘
Picture Overseer 2 of Isetemkheb D added
This photo completes the Royal Cache overview
Photo courtesy of GJ
January 3, 2016
Page ‘Royal Cache‘
Picture Nesykhonsu A, worker 3 added. Smaller broad specimen with necklace and bracelet
Photo courtesy of GJ
December 26, 2015
Page ‘Special shabtis‘
Wax funerary figure with golden mask added
December 23, 2015
Page ‘Pharaos‘
Good photo pharaoh Piye (Phianky, 25th Dyn) added from the Cairo Museum December 2015
December 22, 2015
Page ‘Determine age‘
Renewed to offer an easy comprehensive overview
December 14, 2015
Launching www.ushabtis.com from Cairo with a view on the old Cairo Museum
December 14 at 4 pm
