Cole Fitzsimmons

Legacy Project
Part 1-Prcis
5/3/14

Eternal Truth: Humans believe in some sort of afterlife in order to overcome the fear of
death.

Thesis: The Shabti of Akhenaten from Ancient Egypt represents the eternal truth of
afterlife and some of the beliefs seen in Ancient Egypt during its peak.

Argument #1: The Shabti of Akhenaten represents the eternal truth of belief in the
afterlife that was demonstrated in Ancient Egypt.

Evidence #1:
Physical Characteristics (A)
-Made of Quartzite (Brown)
-14.7cm tall
-8.4cm wide
-5.5cm deep

Found in middle Egypt at el-Armana (A)


Shabtis or Ushabtis were intended to perform and help with the work that the diseased
was called upon to do in the afterlife (A).
The Shabtis were often styled to look like an Egyptian preserved for burial. Sometimes
they had a seed pouch or other tool slung on the their back to help them with the work
they would have to be doing in the underworld (B).
Made of wood or stone and contained a spell known as the Shabti Formula that indicated
the function of that specific Shabti. (C)
It was believed that they answered for the dead person when called upon. Took over the
chores and duties of the dead person (D). Shabti meant answerer (F).
The Shabtis often did work relating to Agriculure (Plowing fields, sowing seeds, etc)
most likely because this is what kept people alive (in the afterlife). Afterlife didnt run
itself (E)
the deceased were expected to take part in the maintenance of the 'Field of Reeds,' where
he or she would live for eternity. This meant undertaking agricultural labor, such as
plowing, sowing, and reaping the crops.(F)

Analysis #1: The Shabti of Akhenaten represents the eternal truth of the afterlife because
of it structure and the job it is meant to do. The size of the Shabti is small enough to fit in
a Coffin or a Tomb with a dead Egyptian. The fact that they carry tools shows that they
are prepared to do work in the afterlife and that people believe that they will be doing
work.

Argument #2: The Shabti of Akhenaten represents the culture and life of Ancient
Egyptians.
Evidence #2: The type and quality (also intricacy) of Shabti represented wealth of the
person who owned the tomb and bought it. They were bought from temple workshops.
People of lower class and wealth often did not have any Shabtis in their tomb. (C)
The more Shabti dolls found, the greater the wealth of the person who was buried there.
(H)

At the time then Akhenaten became Pharaoh, Egypt was very wealthy and peaceful (I)

The Ancient Egyptians grew many of their own crops and built many of their own houses
out of the natural resources around them (J). This most likely led to the creation of Shabti
dolls because people had to do this work in the afterlife too.
Many ancient Egyptians lived on the black land which was near the banks of the Nile.
Many crops were grown here, further emphasizing the importance of growing crops. (J)

Analysis #2: The aspects of the Egyptian lifestyle reflect the view of the underworld and
the preparation for it. Farming and agriculture is a large part of Ancient Egyptian
lifestyle. Everyone had a job in society and many people were farmers and this is how
they traded for other things that they needed to live. In the afterlife, the dead needed to
contribute to the society somehow in order to be treated well and get what they need.
This is what the Shabti dolls did for them.

Argument #3: The Shabti represented the funeral practices and view of the afterlife, and
the fear of death.

Evidence #3: Afterlife didnt run itself. People had to do the work in the afterlife jut like
on land. Everyone pitched in. (E)
The preservation of the body was an essential part of the Egyptian funerary belief and
practice (F).

It was believed that the dead would still need its organs in the afterlife. They were
removed in order to preserve the body but they put them in jars so they dead could access
them and use them in the afterlife. (H)

This ceremony again underscores the importance of the physical body in that it was
conducted in order to reanimate the corpse for continued use by the soul. A priest would
recite spells as he used a ceremonial blade to touch the mouth of the corpse (so it could
again breathe, eat, and drink) and the arms and legs so it could move about in the tomb.
(H)

Analysis #3: This information about the afterlife shows the need for the Shabti dolls and
other objects to be accompanied with them.

Conclusion: The Shabti dolls represent the eternal truth of Afterlife and the Ancient
Egyptian society because of the view of the afterlife, the purpose of the Shabti dolls, and
the way that the Ancient Egyptian Society was run.








Note to self: Ample evidence exists of how terrifying the afterlife was: inscriptions from
the Book of the Dead, the Book of the Two Ways, the Amduat (a section of the Book of
the Netherworld) found their way onto objects accompanying the corpse. (G)this could
a primary source


book of the dead spell 6