"I shall do it! Here I am!" (A shawabti of the ancient Egyptian draughtsman Parahotep)

Abstract

Publication of a shawabti-figure belonging to the ancient Egyptian draughtsman Parahotep from Deir el-Medina. The identity of the owner of painted terracotta shawabti enables its text, written in cursive hieroglyphs.

It contains the title and name of Parahotep as well as chapter 6 of the Book of the Dead. The supposed dating represents the mid of the reign of Ramesses II (cca 1260 BCE).

The shawabti belonged to the Egyptian collection of Baron Franz von Koller (1767-1826), later on was in the possession of Czech industrialist Vojtěch Lanna (1836-1909). Now the shawabti is deposited in a private collection.

Keywords

• ancient Egyptian shawabtis
• Dynasty 19
• Deir el-Medina
• draughtsman Parahotep
• the Book of the Dead (chapter 6)