Worker Shabti of Henettawy (C), Daughter of Isetemkheb

Art Historical Context

This delicate faience shabti, standing just under 5 inches tall, served as a "worker" figurine for Henettawy (C), a high-ranking priestess and daughter of Isetemheb during Egypt's Third Intermediate Period (asty 21, ca. 990–970 B.C.). Shabtis like this were placed tombs to perform labor for their owner in the afterlife, the ancient Egyptian belief in eternal life and the need for servants beyond death. Henettawy, part of Theban elite families tied to the God's Wife of Amun title, reflects the era's powerful priestly dynasties that ruled from the south while pharaohs held nominal power in the north. Crafted from faience—a composite of quartz, lime, and clay glazed to a vibrant turquoise hue— this figurine exemplifies Egyptian mastery of this medium, prized for its luminous, rebirth-evoking color akin to lapis lazuli. The small size and mummiform pose, with arms crossed holding tools like a hoe and pick, follow standardized conventions from the New Kingdom onward, ensuring the shabti's magical activation through inscribed spells from the Book of the Dead. Acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1925, this piece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a glimpse into 21st Dynasty funerary artistry, blending piety, craftsmanship, and optimism for immortality.