Shabti from the green glazed terracotta
Private person. Mummiform. Saite common striated lappet wig, with plaited artificial beard. Arms crossed on the chest. Hands crossed right over left, sleeves not indicated. Pick without cross bar in left hand and cord in right hand. Basket is quite small and suspended behind the left shoulder. Face is oval with long and prominent nose and big eyes; lips are thick, ears well modelled. Back-pillar without inscription. Hieroglyphic inscription, carved in one vertical column framed with lines on both sides, begins with the formula Wsir anx - "The Osiris live". Trapezoidal base.
According to P. Selem this shabti was most probably discover in the area of Claudia Aequum sometime during the 19th century or the first half of the 20th century. Sadly, nothing about the provenance and the date of discovery was preserve in the inventory books of the museum. Most of the archaeological collection came from the area of Claudia Aequum which is five kilometres outside of Sinj. The Roman Emperor Claudius between AD 41 and 45 found Colonia Claudia Aequum. That is the reason why Selem presume that it came to the monastery from this ancient site.
I. Uranić dated it to period of Dynasty 21st, but iconography of this shabti surely does not apply to the period of the early Third Intermediate period. Implements in shabti hands were typical for the period between Dynasties 27th and 31st, other iconographical features and comparative type of shabtis, which could be found in the other collection in the world, suggest that it can be dated to the Late Period (Dynasties 27th and 31st). Some ancient merchant or soldier most likely brought it to Illyricum from Egypt, the Hellenistic east or Italy between the middle of the 1st century and early 3rd century AD.
According to P. Selem this shabti was most probably discover in the area of Claudia Aequum sometime during the 19th century or the first half of the 20th century. Sadly, nothing about the provenance and the date of discovery was preserve in the inventory books of the museum. Most of the archaeological collection came from the area of Claudia Aequum which is five kilometres outside of Sinj. The Roman Emperor Claudius between AD 41 and 45 found Colonia Claudia Aequum. That is the reason why Selem presume that it came to the monastery from this ancient site.
I. Uranić dated it to period of Dynasty 21st, but iconography of this shabti surely does not apply to the period of the early Third Intermediate period. Implements in shabti hands were typical for the period between Dynasties 27th and 31st, other iconographical features and comparative type of shabtis, which could be found in the other collection in the world, suggest that it can be dated to the Late Period (Dynasties 27th and 31st). Some ancient merchant or soldier most likely brought it to Illyricum from Egypt, the Hellenistic east or Italy between the middle of the 1st century and early 3rd century AD.
Catalogue entry
Shabti from the green glazed terracotta or faience
Franciscan Monastery, Sinj
Arhaeological collection
Inv. no. R299
probably from Čitluk (Claudia Aequum), Croatia
Late period (27th-31st dynasty), 6th-4th c. B.C.
green glazed terracotta green glazed: ceramic processing
12.3 x 3.3 cm
Typology: Schneider class XIA5; Tomorad class G
Cf. Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden: AF69a; the Archaeological Museum, Zagreb: E-451, E-476
Resources
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- Uranić, Igor. „Trag Egipta“. U: Marić, M. (ur.). Arheološka zbirka Franjevačkog samostana u Sinju. Sinj, 2008: 70-73. no. 3, 70.