The offering formula, also known under transliterated forms of its incipit as the ḥtp-ḏỉ-nsw or ḥtp-ḏj-nswt formula was a conventional dedicatory formula found on ancient Egyptian funerary objects, believed to allow the deceased to partake in offerings presented to the major deities in the name of the king, or in offerings presented directly to the deceased by family members. It is among the most common of all Middle Egyptian texts. Its incipit ḥtp-ḏj-nswt "an offering given by the king" is followed by the name of a deity and a list of offerings given. The offering formula is usually found carved or painted onto funerary stelae, false doors, coffins, and sometimes other funerary objects. Each person had their own name and titles put into the formula. The offering formula was not a royal prerogative like some of the other religious texts such as the Litany of Re, and was used by anyone who could afford to have one made. Text All ancient Egyptian offering formulas share the same basic structure, but there is a great deal of variety in which deities and offerings are mentioned, and which epithets and titles are used. Below is an example of a typical offering formula: M23 t:R4 X8 Q1 D4 nb R11 w O49:t Z1 nTr aA nb U23 b N26:O49 D37:f O3 F1:H1 V6 S27 x:t nb:t nfr:t wab:t S34:t nTr i m n:D28:n i F39:x i i F12 s r:t:z:n A1 Aa11:P8 ḥtp dỉ nsw wsỉr nb ḏdw, nṯr ꜥꜣ, nb ꜣbḏw dỉ=f prt-ḫrw t ḥnqt, kꜣw ꜣpdw, šs mnḫt ḫt nbt nfrt wꜥbt ꜥnḫt nṯr ỉm n kꜣ n ỉmꜣḫy s-n-wsrt, mꜣꜥ-ḫrw "An offering given by the king (to) Osiris, the lord of Busiris, the great god, the lord of Abydos." "That he may give an invocation offering of bread, beer, oxen, birds, alabaster, clothing, and every good and pure thing upon which a god lives." "For the ka of the revered Senwosret, True of Voice." The offering formula always begins with the phrase: M23 t:R4 X8 ḥtp dỉ nsw This phrase was in use since Old Egyptian, and literally means "an offering given by the king." This dedication does not indicate that the gift was personally given by the king; rather, it identifies the funerary offering as being royally authorized. Because the king was seen as an intermediary between the people of Egypt and the gods, the offering was made in