The Definitive Guide to Ancient Egyptian Funerary Objects & Tomb Goods

Life in the Field of Reeds: Servants, Sustenance, and Personal Goods

Having successfully passed the “Weighing of the Heart,” the deceased’s soul finally entered the Field of Reeds. This was not a vague, spiritual heaven but an idealized, perfect version of the Egypt they knew—complete with fertile fields, flowing rivers, and all the pleasures of life.

Consequently, to thrive in this new, eternal life, they needed a full set of provisions, just as they did on earth. This is where the next major category of ancient Egyptian funerary objects comes into play: the items for living eternally.

The Magical Servants: Shabti and Ushabti Figures

This eternal paradise, however, presented a familiar problem: manual labor. The Field of Reeds was a fertile, agricultural land that required ploughing, sowing, and reaping. Worse, the gods could call upon any inhabitant at any time to perform this work. For the elite, who avoided such labor in life, this was a serious concern.

They developed an ingenious and indispensable solution: the Shabti (or Ushabti) figure. These were small, mummiform figurines, often holding tiny hoes and baskets, designed to act as the deceased’s magical servants. Artisans inscribed them with Spell 6 from the Book of the Dead, which commanded the figure to answer “Here I am!” when the gods called the deceased’s name. This spell magically animated the shabti, compelling it to do any work required on the deceased’s behalf.

The elite took this so seriously that a complete set consisted of 401 shabtis: one “worker” for every day of the year, plus 36 “overseers” to manage the crews.

Food for Eternity: Offerings, Lists, and Models

Beyond avoiding work, the Ka (the deceased’s life force, which remained with the body) needed eternal sustenance. Families initially provided this with real offerings of bread, beer, and meat on an offering table in the tomb.

However, they knew these visits and real offerings would eventually stop. To solve this, they created permanent, magical food sources.

• Magical Lists: Scribes and artists carved detailed “offering lists” and painted vibrant scenes of food on the tomb walls. They believed the deceased could magically consume these depicted items.
• Wooden Models: Perhaps the most brilliant solution emerged in the Middle Kingdom. Craftsmen built detailed wooden models of entire estates. These weren’t just simple ancient Egyptian funerary objects; they were miniature, magical factories. They included models of granaries (with tiny, real grains), breweries (with workers mashing beer), and butcher shops. These models ensured a magical, unending supply for eternity.

A Home Away From Home: Personal Goods

Finally, to make the tomb a true “House of Eternity,” the Egyptians filled it with their favorite and most valuable personal belongings. This is why tombs like Tutankhamun’s appear so full; they were stocking a complete, idealized home.

Common items included:

• Furniture: They packed their actual beds, chairs, stools, and chests. The headrest was a particularly important item, as they believed it magically protected the sleeper’s head and neck.
• Personal Items: They also included their jewelry, cosmetic palettes for kohl, bronze mirrors (which held symbolic power), and fine linen clothing.
• Leisure: They even brought their games. The most common was Senet, a popular board game. This, too, had a symbolic purpose; they viewed the game’s progress as a metaphor for the soul’s difficult journey through the underworld.