In ancient Egypt these little mummy shaped figures were names "shabti", meaning "respondent". They were an integral part of the funerary assemblage and were supposed to perform the duties in place of their owner which he, the deceased, could be drawn on in the netherworld. For these purposes the shabtis were provided with a magical text from the Book of Dead: "O shabti figure, if [name of deceased] is called up to do any work that is done there in the realm of the dead (...) ‘I am doing it – see, I am here’, you are to say. 

Photographic print on metal

Height of figure 5,9 cm / 2.3 inch