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Kabbalah: Ushabti, Shabti Egyptian Shabtis - an answer to a prayer
These pages are excerpts from the book, Kabbalah's Secret Circles, by Robert Zucker. Read more sample chapters and download a free PDF sample compliments of the author. Photo below: An Egyptian Ushabti (Shabti), a funerary figurine.
Shabti is the Egyptian word for "answerer." The term shabti applies to these figures, prior to the Twenty-first dynasty (21st) of Egypt, after the end of the First Intermediate Period. Shabti also applies to statuettes inscribed with Chapter Six of the Book of the Dead. Otherwise, they might better be defined by the generic term, funerary figurines. (wikipedia: Ushabti). The Shabti were also called Ushabti and Shawabti. The Shabti Index
Egyptian myths claim that ushabtis are funerary figurines help do the work of the owner after they are deceased. An Egyptian prayer is made to the statue to bring it to life. Most shabti's are made of clay, some are wood carved. The power of dirt, or clay, was believed to have life-giving properties. Read about theory on life from clay. Ushabtis (shabtis), like golem, are suppose to obey the orders of the owner. But these statuettes animate to specifically serve the soul of the deceased- whose name is carved into its chest along with the prayer to "carry the water" and "do the work" in the netherworld. The earlier shabti may have planted the cultural seed for the later golem and teraphim legends.
Egyptian Shabtis
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Shabti
(also called ushabti, or Shawabti) are magical, clay figure statues
produced in the early dynasty of the ancient Egyptian empire. 
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by Glenn James. This large volume presents a catalogue of 115 shabtis,
or funerary statuettes, held in private collections across Europe. The
study stands out in particular for its high-quality lifesize colour
photographs which illustrate the back and front of each shabti. The
catalogue is arranged chronologically from the Middle Kingdom to the
Ptolemaic period, includes transcriptions and translations of
hieroglyphic inscriptions, descriptions of condition and provenance and a
discussion of comparative examples and their location. The CD presents
full colour images of the shabtis. Hardcover: 264 pages. Publisher:
Cybele (December 31, 2002).
Ushabti Figurine. This shabti figure the finest details and highest
quality you will find anywhere! Made of resin and hand painted. Height: 9
inches. Length: 2.25 inches. Width: 2.25 inches. Crafted with Resin.
Weight: 2.5 pounds.