Ushabti is the term for an ancient Egyptian funerary figurine placed in a tomb to serve the deceased.
Ushabtis were imagined as substitute workers in the afterlife. Their inscriptions stated that they would answer when summoned to perform tasks such as farming, digging irrigation channels, or carrying materials. Many were shaped like mummies, while others were shown as workers carrying hoes, baskets, or sacks.
The practice developed from earlier funerary figures and became widespread across Egyptian history. Ushabtis were commonly made from wood, stone, clay, or Egyptian faience, and wealthy people could be buried with large groups of them. Some tombs even included overseer figures responsible for organizing groups of servants.
The name has variant spellings, including shabti and shawabti. “Canopic jar” is a common mix-up, but canopic jars held preserved internal organs, while an ushabti was a magical servant figure. The related Book of the Dead tradition helped define the figurines’ role in the afterlife.