An Egyptian Faience Ushabti for Horiraa

Late Period, 26th Dynasty, 664-525 B.C.

Height 7 inches (17.8 cm).

Property from the Collection of Dr. Hernan D. Ruf, Pompano Beach, Florida

Provenance:

Deaccessioned from the Egyptian Museum of Berlin, Germany [by repute].

Ilse Scwaiger Collection (1905-2005), Berlin, Germany, prior to 1940.

Lempertz, Brussels, Tribal Arts, 30 March 2006, Lot 2.

Private Collection (U.H.), Germany.

Published:

J.F. Aubert, Statuettes égyptiennes, Paris, 1974, p. 220

G. Janes, Shabtis: A Private View, Paris, 2002, pp. 193-194.

Note:

This ushabti was made for Overseer of the Antechamber, Horiraa. An important court official during the 26th Dynasty, Reign of Pharaoh Necho II, he was tutor to the pharaoh's successor Psamtik II. Also referred to as Neferibrenefer (Psamtik II is beautiful), his intact tomb was discovered in 1830 just south of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. The tomb contained hundreds of ushabtis which have been characterized by their grey-green color and fine modelling. Although many of these ushabtis can be found in major American and European Museums today, few are as fine as the one seen here.