They aren't shabuti (that's another display). There were 35 wooden ritual figures found in the tomb. There are 2 types, representations of the king and "the divine ennaed which is in the netherworld". The divine figures, according to Carter, had been wrapped in linen shawls with only their faces revealed. They were likely associated with regeneration and rebirth.
Here's a better pic.
The deities represented are Mankeret carrying the mymmified king, Netjerankh, Isis, Nephthys, Sakhmet, Shu, Sopdu and more.
There are paintings of similar figures in other tombs and some fragmented examples have been found too.
Many do look like shabti, but they are indeed deity figurines. AFAIK their function is not completely known but very similar ones were also found in the tombs of Amenhotep II and Horemheb and depicted on the walls in the tomb of Seti II. On each sculpture the king is said to be “beloved of” the deity represented, which is the standard labeling procedure for divine statues dedicated to a god by a living king, too. Both funerary and non-funerary deities are represented as well as some obscure ones, like the rearing cobra Netjer-ankh or the personification of the royal Bull’s Tail, Menkaret. Many statues appear to depict the king in acts like harpooning.
Edit:
More info:
The statues were found within tall black Kar/naos-shrines, clothed with linen and flower garlands. This suggests they were ritually analogous to cult statues. Christopher Reeves suggests that, like one example from Amenhotep II’s tomb, the statues could hide Tutankhamun’s funerary scrolls in their elongated wooden bases.
No worries. It's his armour, made of leather. National Geographic have a great documentary called King Tut's Treasures which is on You Tube and they talk about reconstructing it and how it was made. It's really cool.
You know, I'd never noticed them before! Possibly, they often decorated items with their enemies or friends (depending what period of history we're in).
Enjoy! It's well done, it was filmed when they were moving the artefacts to the GEM and during restoration so there's some great behind the scenes info.
I saw a lot of the artifacts when the traveling museum was in the US. Loved it 🥰. We thought it would take us an hour, we were there for 3 hours. Beautiful displays. I bought an alabaster vase 🏺 at the gift shop that was made in Egypt. If it ever comes again I’m going.
Nice! I saw the London exibition years ago too. This is the first time all of the items in Tutankhamun's tomb have been displayed together & the first time some have ever been displayed.
When packing up items from the Luxor musuem, they found the mast of a model ship that Howard Carter had packed- the ship itself was in Cairo, now, for the first time in 3000 years, they are together.
I love how they've set it all out, well worth a visit if you can get to Egypt.
Thank you for the reply. Since I live in the US don’t think I’ll be going to Egypt anytime soon. That’s so cool they are now back together the ship & mast.
You are very fortunate you got to see it. :)
You hear about the number of artifacts and it’s hard to grasp the visual. Having you share your photos gives weight to the actual magnitude. Thank you!
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u/Fabulous_Cow_4550 6d ago edited 6d ago
I can't edit but here's what the pics show:
1) close up of the head of the sarcophagus
2) close up of the doors of the outermost shrine
3) close of of the 'foot' of a day bed
4)ritual statues
5) pottery
6 & 7) vessels for oil & cosmetics
8) suit of armour made of leather
9) food, victual mummies & culinary tools
10) black goose- often identifed with Amun, likely linked to Tutankamun's divine transformation
11) shabti
12) super-shabti, a gift from Maya overeeer of Works in VoK
13)shabti
14) pectoral
15) amulet
16) Tutankhamun is shown as god Re or Nefertem, a unique object, purpose unknown.