Beckers Collection (Aachen) - The Shabti of the Viceroy of Kush Hori I - Object Biography and Provenance Study of UB-014

This publication presents a comprehensive object-based study of a shabti of the Viceroy of Kush, Hori I, originating from Tell Basta (Bubastis). The object is part of a dispersed group of approximately 30 known shabtis associated with this high-ranking official of the Ramesside period. The study integrates archaeological context, epigraphic analysis, typology, and provenance research, combining primary excavation data (Habachi 1957) with modern collection history and archival market records. Particular emphasis is placed on reconstructing the object’s modern biography, including its appearance in the Khayat collection, the 1979 Sotheby’s auction (Lot 85), and subsequent ownership. New findings include:- clarification of inconsistencies in the literature (Scott 1992, De Haan 2019),- identification of catalogue mislabeling (no. 150 vs. 151),- reconstruction of partial dispersal patterns of related shabtis,- documented correction of the Superior Galleries 1978 attribution (Van Bommel 2026): lot 55 identified as a priest Hori from the Bab el-Gasus cache (Dynasty XXI), not the Viceroy Hori I,- integration of Auenmüller (2021) on the New Kingdom elite necropolis at Tell Basta and parallel dispersal evidence from the adjacent tomb of vizier Iuty. The publication follows a “deep publication” approach, combining structured metadata, high-resolution imagery, and reproducible documentation workflows. It is intended both as a scholarly contribution and as a model for object-centered digital publication in private collections. This record is linked to the corresponding collection entry and forms part of an ongoing research series on Egyptian shabtis.