Shabtis were Egyptian funerary figures believed to work for the deceased in the afterlife.
These small figurines were placed in tombs and were intended to answer when the deceased was called upon to perform labor. Their duties could include agricultural work or other compulsory tasks in the next world. A spell, often written on the figure, activated its service.
Early examples developed from servant figures, while later shabti collections could include many figures and an overseer. The terms shabti, ushabti, and shawabti reflect changing periods and regional usage, so the objects are sometimes described under more than one name.
Shabtis were not the same as canopic jars. Canopic equipment protected or contained the internal organs removed during mummification, while shabtis served as magical labor substitutes. Their presence shows that Egyptian ideas of paradise included both reward and the possibility of organized work.