Although the original identification with the tomb owner was never lost, the figures were seen primarily as workers who performed a service for the deceased, and they became known by the ancient Egyptians as shabti s. As their purpose changed so did their name, first to shawabti, then to ushabti. Shabti s often carry hoes, seed bags, picks, and water pots, reflecting their farming activities. For the ancient Egyptians, the exchange of one individual for another to perform required work was an acceptable practice. It has been suggested that from the Third Intermediate Period on shabti s no longer were substitutes for the deceased but similar to personal slaves.
Records indicate that people bought shabti s from temple workshops.
Over their long history, shabti s varied a great deal in style, reflecting changing functions and fashion. They were made from a variety of materials, but faience, limestone, and painted wood or clay were the most popular. Ancient Egypt at The Carnegie Museum of Natural History by Diana Craig Patch. The Board of Trustees, Carnegie Institute.