Mummy Portrait

This portrait of a woman presents many of the distinctive qualities characteristic of Romano-Egyptian funerary panels. The style of her dark, curly hair, bound up into a loose bun at the top of the head, was in fashion during the Flavian period (AD 68-96) and helps to date the portrait to the years around that time. The woman's face is painted in flesh and salmon tones, the background is dark gray, and her garment is pinkish-lavender (traditional for female funerary portraits) with black clavi (woven stripes) running vertically down the front. She is depicted wearing gold hoop earrings with inset emeralds and around her neck a triple-tiered necklace composed of an inner strand of pearls, a middle strand of gold beads, and an outer strand of alternating pearls and emeralds with a gold pendant. All are commensurate with jewelry styles of the late first century AD. Although the find spot is unknown, the general style of the portrait and the curved top of the panel corresponds with others found by Flinders Petrie at the site of Hawara in the Egyptian Fayum region.