Egyptian Shabtis (Shire Egyptology) [Paperback]

H.M. Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Series: Shire Egyptology | Publication Date: March 4, 2008

The ancient Egyptians believed that the statutory agricultural labour imposed on them in order to utilise the Nile floods would continue in the afterlife. To avoid this irksome duty they devised the shabti, a figure which they hoped would deputise for them on being activated by the appropriate magic spell. The figures are of considerable artistic interest, and provide information about Egyptian religion, society, personal names, titles, etc. The motiviation and development are discussed from the first appearance of shabtis during the Middle Kingdom until their decline in the Ptolemaic Period. The iconography, inscriptions, materials and manufacture are described with criteria for identifying and dating the various types.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Harry M. Stewart studied Ancient History and Egyptology at the University of London and after graduating developed a special interest in epigraphy and facsimile recording, co-operating in work of the Egypt Exploration Society and contributing articles in archaeology journals. In 1970, while concurrently teaching at the Institute of Archaeology, he was appointed an honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Egyptology at University College London, and has since published much of the inscribed material in the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology.

Product Details

• Paperback: 64 pages
• Publisher: Shire (March 4, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747803013
• ISBN-13: 978-0747803010
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.2 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,515,474 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent refernce; a must-have for the collector, July 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Egyptian Shabtis (Shire Egyptology) (Paperback)

This book is a short but very comprehensive presentation of Egyptian ushabtis, and contains much information not readily found elsewhere. It discusses the nature and uses of the ushabti, their evolution from their initial appearances through to the end of the Ptolemaic Period. Perhaps the most valuable section is a chart and discussion showing by dynasty the use of the various materials used in making ushabtis, the form of dress, the headdress and equipment held by the ushabti. While most of the available ushabtis are from the Late Period, the chart will help date those that are not. For example, wood was generally not used after the 20th dynasty, while the back pillar was not introduced until about the 22nd dynasty. The book contains a few photos, all of which are monochrome, and a number of sketches showing, for example, the different types of headdresses used for ushabtis. This book is highly recommended, particularly at its very modest price.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction, September 30, 2007

By 

Micha (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Egyptian Shabtis (Shire Egyptology) (Paperback)

Whether you're an aspiring collector or a reader with an penchant for ancient Egyptian funerary art, this book fills an inexpensive much desired niche making a superb preliminary introduction before investing in the CD Rom accompanied publication, Glenn Janes, Shabtis a Private View, or more comprehensive difficult to obtain out of print volumes such as Hans D. Schneider's, Shabtis; (or Flinders Petrie, Shabtis; Aubert, J.F, Egyptiennes, chaouabtis, ouchebtis; Luis Manuel de Araujo, Estatuetas Funerarias Egipcias da XXI Dinastia; Percy E Newberry, etc etc). All these volumes are more than worth their weight however what makes this book so very surprising is it's diminutive size. At only 64 pages it contains useful information that years after purchase, I admit I still refer to. The background text is basic yet comprehensive. The chronology of shabti features according to material (wood, stone, faience, pottery, clay, glass, copper/bronze), form (daily dress, overseer, back pillar), headdress (duplex wig, seshed headband), equipment (hoes, pick & hoe, bags front, bag at back, bag over shoulder, yoke with pots, brick mould), and symbol, with accompanying illustrations are invaluable in dating, both for new collectors wanting to discern tourist souvenirs from genuine antiquities or those expanding their shabti collection into a different dynastic period. Of particular interest also are the variants on the shabti spell in hieroglyphs.

I'd give this book 4 stars when compared to the abovementioned publications however at 64 pages acknowledge it would be wholly unreasonable to compare a mammoth hi-tech lavishly illustrated volume with a condensed booklet and for it's size I'd be hard-pressed to conceive how any more information could be compressed into this small succinct Shire Publication without considerable loss to existing information or consistency. Yes there are better books out there and yes, this information is available elsewhere but not as a focused introduction, and not at this modest price. If you're intrigued by shabtis, worth noting is the Shire Publication by Paul T.Nicholson, Egyptian Faience & Glass, in this same series which makes an inexpensive, ideal complementary volume with regards the basic methods of manufacture.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very informative and useful reference, August 11, 2000

By 

Francesca Jourdan (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Egyptian Shabtis (Shire Egyptology) (Paperback)

This short book provides much information about the Egyptian shabtis, figurines created to act for the deceased in the afterlife. The author explains their manufacture in wood, stone, Egyptian faience and other materials; he also traces their evolution from the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemaic Period. Inscriptions and spells are briefly discussed. This is a very useful reference for students, Egyptologists and art historians.