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Faience ushabtis of Hetepef-hesu-(?)

Object(s) photograph: Site: Giza; view: G 7632

Twenty-five faience ushabtis (part of group of 366+, [corrected to read 376+], ushabtis including 25-3-223, 25-3-229, 25-3-282, [and probably 25-3-224], and others, [including 25-3-225, 25-3-227, and possibly 25-3-226]); [combined: half molded (may have been several molds used since size varies, but all listed under mold i, mold carefully cut but few figures have clear details), finger-smoothed at back, sides blade-dressed with single cut, soft-baked light colored paste with greenish blue specks, core pinkish, periphery nearly white, deep greenish blue glaze in some and paler and truer blue in others, most faded or corrupted with brown of organic decay, some inscribed with blunt pointed tool, no pilaster or base visible in most specimens, many deformed in making (faces and feet are parts of figure most often squashed) and cracked in baking]; three of these ushabtis (25-3-282) inscribed as 25-3-223; twelve complete; [combined: mold i (type III 2d), inscribed = 28+, uninscribed = 348+; provenance of various ushabtis in this group: pit: intact = 8 + 2, mended = 8 + 1, fragments = 4+, (total from pit: 20 + 3); pit + room A II: intact = 0, mended = 2, fragments = 0, (total from pit + room A II: 2); room A II: intact = 0 + 7, mended = 0 + 5, fragments = 28 + 4 (total from room A II: 28 + 16); rooms A II + A IV: intact = 0, mended = 3, fragments = 0 (total from rooms A II + A IV: 3); room A IV: intact = 179 + 8, mended = 86 + 1, fragments = 25 (total from room IV: 290 + 9); room A IV + pit: intact = 0, mended = 5, fragments = 0 (total from room A IV + pit: 5); totals: intact = 187 + 17, mended = 104 + 7, fragments = 57 + 4 (figures written after + signs are number of inscribed ushabtis); twenty-eight text variants, most inscribed for Hetepef-hesu-(?) born of Ankhenes-(?), two inscribed for Hetepef-hesu-(?) born of Nes...(?)]. Illustration: No

Details

  • ID
    HUMFA_25-3-282
  • Department
    Harvard University-Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
  • Classification
    Tomb equipment-Ushabtis and ushabti boxes
  • Findspot
    Pit G 7632 A, [sub-pit e =] A IX [?]
  • Material
    Faience
  • Dimensions
    Height: 6.7 - 10 cm; [combined: 6.2 - 7.8 cm; mean of 20 specimens: 7 cm]
  • Credit Line
    Harvard University–Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition
  • Object Ownership Information
    MFA accession numbers: 25.4635, 25.4639, 25.4688–25.4709, 25.4755
  • Date of Register Entry
    03/28/1925
  • Author
    Ankhenes-(?) (in G 7632)
  • Owner
    Hetepef-hesu-(?) (in G 7632)
  • Remarks
    Ushabtis of this group were found mostly inside coffin in room 2 (= Said's room A IV) and around and under it in area of knees; they clearly belong to this burial, although specimens occur from Said's room A II and elsewhere in pit system. Text variants on OR page 573. Total number of inscribed ushabtis (and fragments) belonging to this group (concordance 25-3-223) identified in MFA inventory, as well as those not MFA owned shown in photos C11003/C11004, exceeds number of inscribed originally recorded in OR entries for 25-3-223, 25-3-229, 25-3-282. Two inscribed ushabtis labeled with this registration number (25-3-282) located in MFA inventory, concordance sequence numbers: 1 = MFA 25.4635, 7 = MFA 25.4639 (original concordance sequence numbers assigned to inscribed ushabtis only). Twenty-two uninscribed ushabtis (complete and fragments) labeled with this registration number located in MFA inventory: MFA 25.4688–25.4701, MFA 25.4703–25.4709, MFA 25.4755; one additional uninscribed ushabti (fragment) also attributed to this registration number (based on tag with object): MFA 25.4702
  • Problems/Questions
    Problem: provenance: ushabtis from this group are assigned to a burial in A IV (= room 2), other miscellaneous (presumably displaced) ushabtis and fragments are attributed to "pit" and A II (none of these are identified as to original registration number), no mention is made in concordance summary of any found in A IX, yet 25-3-282 is one of the only three registration numbers specifically noted in the concordance summary (some ushabtis labeled 25-3-282 also labeled A2) // MFA accession numbers verified

Tombs and Monuments 1

  • G 7632

    • Site Name Eastern Cemetery

People 2

Ancient People

  • Ankhenes-(?) (in G 7632)

    • Type Author
    • Remarks Mother of Hetepef-hesu-(?); called Nesnes on some ushabtis. Name appears on inscribed ushabtis from set of ca. 376+ inscribed and uninscribed ushabtis (25-3-223, 25-3-229, 25-3-282, and probably 25-3-224, and others, including 25-3-225, 25-3-227, and possibly 25-3-226), with ca. 28+ inscribed for Hetepef-hesu-(?) (uninscribed ushabtis from this set attributed to Hetepef-hesu-(?)); found mostly inside coffin in G 7632 A IV and around and under it in area of knees, although specimens also found elsewhere in pit system.

  • Hetepef-hesu-(?) (in G 7632)

    • Type Owner
    • Remarks Child ([ms n] born) of Ankhenes-(?). Set of ca. 376+ inscribed and uninscribed ushabtis (25-3-223, 25-3-229, 25-3-282, and probably 25-3-224, and others, including 25-3-225, 25-3-227, and possibly 25-3-226), with ca. 28+ inscribed for Hetepef-hesu-(?) (uninscribed ushabtis from this set attributed to Hetepef-hesu-(?)); found mostly inside coffin in G 7632 A IV and around and under it in area of knees, although specimens also found elsewhere in pit system.