Portraits such as these are some of the most poignant surviving artifacts from around the time of, but not beyond, the 3rd century, in which the dead, such as they were, were painted and immortalized on planks of wood or other surfaces which sometimes covered the face of their mummy. It is generally accepted that this style of portrait was in vogue in the Greek colonies within Egypt, which gradually phased out with political, religious, and economic change. It is a fascinating spotlight in that period of Egypt's history, where the clear separation between the Greek and Egyptian portraits began to mingle and reveal citizens of mixed ancestry, combining Greek and Egyptian features in their faces.

An interactive guide through the people, events and ideas of classical antiquity

La Italia primitiva y los orígenes de RomaIsbn- 84-96359-18-2 José Manuel Roldán Hervás