Shawabti

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Ancient Egyptians employed ushabti figures as substitutes in funerary rituals, with various spellings including shabti and shawabti being used. These small figurines were placed in tombs alongside other treasures and served as the deceased's workforce if they were summoned to labor after death. Often carrying a hoe on one shoulder and a basket on their back, ushabtis signified their role as farm workers for the deceased. Inscriptions on their legs, written using hieroglyphs, declared their eagerness to respond to divine calls to work.