Ushebti for Pharaoh Ramses VI. Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty, reign of Ramses VI, 1143–1136 B.C.

Ushebti for Pharaoh Ramses VI. Ancient Egypt, New Kingdom, 20th Dynasty, reign of Ramses VI, 1143–1136 B.C.
Calcite (Egyptian alabaster), with traces of pigmentation.
Provenance: private collection, France.
Publications: Accompanied by a study on the age of the piece by Egyptologist and architect Fernando Estrada Laza, author of *Los obreros de la muerte* and *Entender y amar el arte egipcio*, and consultant on various museum projects related to Egyptian heritage.
Intact. Shows wear on the lower part.
Measurements: 14 cm tall.

This ushabti stands out for its connection to Ramses VI, pharaoh of the 20th Dynasty, and for the use of calcite, a material less commonly used than faience in this type of funerary figurine. Its mummy-like silhouette, with a stylized form and gently rounded contours, reflects the symbolic function of these statuettes, which were designed to act on behalf of the deceased in the afterlife.

The surface retains traces of dark pigment that define the face, the wig, the arms crossed over the chest, and various elements inscribed on the body. In the lower section, a royal cartouche is visible, an element that links the piece to Ramses VI and reinforces its historical significance. The simplicity of the carving is a hallmark of the painting’s precision, which highlights the figure’s essential features.

Ushebti figurines were a fundamental part of Egyptian funerary goods. Their purpose was to answer the call of the deceased and take his place in the agricultural labor required in the afterlife—a function that explains their name, derived from the Egyptian verb “to answer.” In royal burials, numerous ushebti figurines might be arranged, symbolically organized as a workforce in the service of the pharaoh.

The presence of Ramses VI’s cartouche directly links the ushabti to the royal funerary context of the late New Kingdom. The inscription serves not only as an identifying element: it preserves the relationship between the figurine and the sovereign it was meant to serve in the afterlife, making it a concrete testament to the ideology and ritual organization of the pharaonic grave goods.