The Shabti Spell
The shabti spell gave the instructions intended for the figurines as they went about their
duties on behalf of the deceased in the Afterlife. The spell is taken from
Chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead, the earliest version of which appeared in
the Coffin Texts of the Middle Kingdom, -
‘Spell for making an ushebti work (for a man) in the God’s Land.’ It was inscribed on the shabtis with certain variations depending at which time they were made. Sometimes the
complete spell was used, or certain clauses were omitted. Very often, as seen
in the Third Intermediate Period and the Late Period, only the Osiris name and
title of the deceased was given.
