Lot 7
**First Time At Auction**
Egypt, Late Dynastic Period, 26th to 31st Dynasty, ca. 664 to 332 BCE. A lovely quartet of mold-formed faience ushabti figures of petite sizes that were perhaps part of a larger ensemble of funerary figures to accompany a deceased individual through the afterlife. All enveloped in a rich glaze of vibrant turquoise, each figure exhibits a minimalist form with arms held against the chest, feet and legs held tightly together, and raised heads with tripartite wigs. Size: 0.5" W x 1.7" H (1.3 cm x 4.3 cm)
Shabti or ushabti dolls are figures shaped like adult male or female mummies wearing traditional ancient Egyptian headdresses. The ancient Egyptians believed that after they died, their spirits would have to work in the "Field of Reeds" owned by the god of the underworld, Osiris. This meant doing agricultural labor was required by all members of society, from workers to pharaohs. By the Third Intermediate period, this practice had become so necessary and elaborate that some tombs contained one worker for every day of the year and thirty-six overseers, each responsible for ten laborers. The wealthier nobility in Egyptian society were able to have shabtis made of coveted faience, and blue faience was meant to reflect the color of the river Nile both on earth and in the afterlife.
Provenance: private Southern California collection, California, USA, acquired through descent 2006; ex-private California collection, USA, before 2000
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#168143
- Condition: One repaired from 2 pieces and another repaired from at least 3, both with break lines visible. All have heavy surface wear with abrasions and softening of detail, as shown. Nice remains of pigment and lovely earthen deposits.
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| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |