This mummiform ushabti stands on a square base. Most of his body is inscribed with hieroglyphs; ushabtis were often inscribed with the name of the deceased in whose tomb they were placed, along with the sixth chapter of the Book of the Dead in which the ushabti figure promises to undertake any work that the deceased requests. He is holding two implements, showing his readiness to undertake the tasks expected of him. He is wearing a wig and a beard, and has a contented expression. The ushabti is made of Egyptian faience, which was a common material for small objects including jewellery and decorative items, because it can be cast in moulds. It is created by sintering quartz, causing it to undergo vitrification and producing a smooth glassy surface which is usually blue or green coloured.

Ushabtis were ancient Egyptian funerary figures. They were placed in tombs and were expected to act as servants for the deceased, undertaking any work that they might require in the afterlife. The practice seems to have originated in the Old Kingdom (2600-2100 BC), when life-size stone heads were placed along with the mummy. They appeared as small figurines from the 11th Dynasty onwards (during the First Intermediate Period and Middle Kingdom). In the later dynasties, important individuals would often have large numbers of ushabtis in their tombs; because of their high status they would have wanted lots of servants to carry out their wishes.

This ushabti comes from the 26th Dynasty, which began in 664 BC, and was the last native dynasty to rule Egypt before the Persian conquest in 525 BC. Psamtik I was the first ruler, and he was recognised as king over the whole of Egypt. He and his successors attempted to establish Egyptian power in the Near East following the fall of the Neo-Assyrian empire, but they were held back by the Neo-Babylonian Empire under Nebuchadnezzar II. This period is also known as the Saite Period because the pharaohs had their capital in Sais, in the western Nile Delta on the Canopic branch of the Nile.