Tutankhamun Exhibition’s 30th Anniversary Celebrations Start with New Exhibits.

To commemorate the 30^th anniversary of The Tutankhamun Exhibition in Dorchester, two specially commissioned replicas of the shabti figures of Tutankhamun are being put on show for the first time.

Speaking at the Exhibition in Dorchester, Michael Ridley, founding director said “ These two beautiful Shabtis are personal and poignant relics of the young king Tutankhamun, who died at the age of 19. They are an important addition to the wonderful objects displayed in the Exhibition”.

In ancient Egypt Shabtis were placed in the tomb of the deceased to assist them in the afterlife, performing menial tasks in the next world. They were activated by scripts found in The Book of the Dead.

The two Shabti figures on show at the exhibition were part of 413 found in Tutankhamun’s tomb. This was an extraordinary number as on average most private burials have only two Shabti. This large number found in the tomb must have reflected Tutankhamun’s royal status.

These new Shabti figures are a new permanent display on show at the Tutankhamun Exhibition.