The ushabti (also called shabti or shawabti, with a number of variant spellings) was a funerary figurine used in ancient Egyptian funerary practices. ... The figurines frequently carried a hoe on their shoulder and a basket on their backs, implying they were intended to farm for the deceased.

What is the purpose of a Shabti?

Shabtis are small figures of adult male or female form inscribed with a special formula to be recited (Shabti formula), or figures representing the function expressed in that spell, namely, to carry out heavy manual tasks on behalf of a person in the afterlife.

What was the purpose of Shabti dolls in ancient Egyptian burials?

The Function of the Shabti

Shabti dolls (also known as shawbti and ushabti) were funerary figures in ancient Egypt who accompanied the deceased to the after-life. Their name is derived from the Egyptian swb for stick but also corresponds to the word for `answer' (wsb) and so the shabtis were known as `The Answerers'.