Egyptian Cast Frit or Compositison Mummiform Ushabti with Divine Beard | Late Period to Ptolemaic Era (c. 664–30 BCE) | $1300.00

Crafted during the Late Period to Ptolemaic Era (c. 664–30 BCE), this highly unusual mummiform ushabti provides a fascinating glimpse into ancient Egyptian funerary technology and spiritual manufacturing. While originally cataloged as carved limestone, a close material examination reveals the piece is composed of a cast siliceous mixture or a porous, coarse frit compound. Individually pressed or poured into an open mold, this figurine was engineered to represent the deceased in the absolute likeness of Osiris, the supreme lord of the underworld. Notably, the figure is adorned with a prominent, elongated divine beard trailing down its chest—a powerful iconographic attribute reserved for gods and deified ancestors to guarantee a safe passage into the afterlife. Centuries spent resting within the tomb chambers of the Nile Valley have heavily pitted and weathered the porous body, leaving behind a highly textured, stone-like surface blanketed in a fine layer of consolidated burial soil. Moving through time to contemporary curation, this unique ritual servant stands as a tactile testament to the ingenious manufacturing adaptations of Egypt's late antiquity. Late Period to Ptolemaic Era (c. 664–30 BCE) | Measures 5 x 1 ½ x 1 inches (12.7 x 3.8 x 2.5 cm)

Price $1300.00 | Purchase Page  | See all SKU: 31159

In the spiritual landscape of late dynastic Egypt, ushabtis crafted from molded compounds and coarse frits functioned as vital religious proxies, produced in specialized temple workshops to meet the massive demand for funerary equipment. According to the magical edicts of Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead, these "answerers" were called upon by the gods to perform manual tasks, clear irrigation canals, and cultivate the celestial fields of Aaru on behalf of the deceased. The inclusion of the divine beard on this specimen is typologically significant; it emphasizes the total assimilation of the deceased soul with Osiris himself. Placed in large groups inside specialized wooden chests or arranged neatly around the sarcophagus, these figures ensured that the owner's spirit would remain resting in comfort while the proxy fulfilled all physical obligations in the next world.

Form & Stylistic Integrity

The profile images reveal a distinct, highly specialized three-dimensional form defined by a prominent, rectangular back-pillar running down the entire reverse side and terminating in a substantial, projecting L-shaped base foot. This architectural back-pillar is a diagnostic hallmark of late-period Egyptian sculptural stylings, mimicking the monumental stone statues found in temple complexes. The front of the figure displays a softly modeled face capped by a smooth tripartite wig, with the long divine beard serving as the focal vertical element of the upper torso. Rather than crisp, chiseled lines, the contours are intentionally soft and rounded, heavily characteristic of a thick mineral slurry or frit mix pressed into a reusable terracotta or stone mold. The unique pitting, bubbling, and heavy surface voids visible under magnification are not signs of modern damage; they are the authentic physical anomalies of the ancient casting and drying process.

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Physical Place of Origin & Materials:

The physical characteristics and porous composition point directly to a manufacturing origin within the major industrial faience and glaze-firing centers of Lower Egypt, most likely the extensive workshops of Memphis or the western Nile Delta. The figure is composed of a coarse frit matrix—a mixture of crushed quartz, silica, sand, and alkaline binders that was fired at a slightly lower temperature than fully vitrified glass or glossy faience, resulting in a matte, micro-crystalline, and highly absorbent stone-like fabric. On the sides and reverse pillar of the figurine, the subtle seam lines and the slight asymmetry capture the exact manual compression applied by a workshop artisan as they packed the damp material into a two-part open mold. This production method allowed regional guilds to produce uniform, solid figures efficiently for the domestic burial trade.

Condition Report & Preservation Status:

This ancient ushabti is presented in a completely stable, fully intact excavated condition, retaining its complete original silhouette from the top of the wig down to the bottom of its integral base foot. The primary structural core is exceptionally solid and free of modern repairs, breaks, or compound restorations. The entire exterior surface shows heavy, authentic environmental pitting, air-bubble craters, and natural mineral dissolution resulting from more than two thousand years of subterranean interaction with moisture and tomb gasses. A uniform, uncleaned layer of fine, micro-crystalline desert soil and calcified deposits remains deeply embedded within these surface pits and along the edges of the back-pillar. This extensive weathering crust provides the object with a beautiful, highly tactile antiquity patina and exceptional curatorial display character.

Provenance: This artifact carries a clean, independent collection pedigree, having been sourced from a separate, long-standing private collection in the state of New York. The physical surface of the cast material remains completely raw and uncleaned, retaining its ancient subterranean patina without the presence of modern ink markings or institutional labels. This absence of subsequent registrar modifications preserves the unblemished archaeological face of the piece, allowing the natural color variations and casting imperfections to remain entirely undisturbed. Established safely within long-term domestic ownership prior to modern international antiquities trade accords, this item possesses a clear and legally compliant status, making it fully ready for modern collectors and legal transfer.

Price $1300.00 | Purchase Page  | See all SKU: 31159

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