The trussed duck appears in a number of forms, including amulets, cosmetic jars and perfume bottles. The hieroglyphic symbol appears as a determinative and can be translated as ‘offer’. As most of the material evidence suggests trussed duck pieces were buried with the deceased, it stands that such pieces were used as offerings – tying in with the transliteration of the symbol.
A fowl was also commonly found as part of the gift offerings in the Offering formula for the deceased, known as the htp-di-nsw formula. This formula allowed the deceased to offer goods to the gods, to accompany them in the afterlife. Representations of an offering table, laden with the standard gifts, are common. However, Egyptians would also bury amulets and larger dimensional items to also be placed in their tombs to act as offerings.