© Getty Images/Public Domain

What are these portraits? -

Fayum mummy portraits, also known as just mummy portraits, were painted on wood and attached to mummies (before they were wrapped) from Roman Egypt.

© Getty Images

Where do they come from? -

The name derives from the fact that many of these portraits were found in the Faiyum Basin, in Egypt.

© Getty Images

How many are there? -

It is estimated that around 900 mummy portraits have been found to date.

© Getty Images

Who found them? -

Italian explorer Pietro della Valle was the first European to discover mummy portraits.

© Public Domain

Where were they found? -

Pietro della Valle did so during a visit to Saqqara-Memphis, Egypt in 1615.

© Getty Images

What happened to the first portraits found? -

The explorer brought them back to Europe and many of them are now kept at the Albertinum, a museum in Dresden, Germany.

© Getty Images

When were they painted? -

They are estimated to have emerged in the late 1st century BCE. Although it's not clear when they stopped being produced, records suggest mid 3rd century CE.

© Getty Images

Where were these portraits placed? -

The portraits covered the faces of the mummies and depicted the person.

© Public Domain

Where were these portraits kept? -

It has been suggested that many of these portraits were kept at home and then added to the mummified body when the person died.

© Public Domain

What painting techniques were used? -

Two distinct techniques were used at the time. Some portraits are made with hot wax painting, a technique also known as encaustic painting.

© Getty Images

Tempera -

Other portraits were made in tempera, a technique where pigments are tempered with a water soluble binder, such as egg.

© Getty Images

Greco-Roman influence -

Because of the cultural influences at the time in Egypt, these paintings are more close to Greco-Roman artistic traditions than Egyptian ones.

© Public Domain

Affluent classes -

Because not everyone could afford a mummy portrait, most of these belonged to upper class individuals, members of the military, and religious dignitaries.

© Getty Images

Who are the people in these portraits? -

The mummy portraits mostly depict Greek and Egyptians who lived in the area.

© Getty Images

Intact -

Many of these paintings are surprisingly well preserved. This is likely because of the hot and dry climate of Egypt.

© Public Domain

Multicultural Egypt -

This portrait depicts an Egyptian woman with a Roman hairstyle, who was buried as a traditional Egyptian mummy. The realistic Greek-style portrait shows the Greek influence in Egypt at the time.

© Getty Images

Holding objects -

This image dates back to around 180-200 CE.

© Getty Images

Golden child -

This boy is wearing a gold amulet and a hairpin with the same design as the amulet.

© Getty Images

A later discovery -

This mummy portrait was found circa 1905/06 by French archaeologist Alfred Gayet and sold to the Egyptian Museum of Berlin in 1907.

© Public Domain

Aline -

A Fayum portrait of Aline, also known as Ténos, painted in tempera on linen. The portrait was found in the Tomb of Aline, a grave estimated to be from the time of Roman emperors Tiberius or Hadrian, excavated in 1892.

© Getty Images

Malibu Painter -

This mummy portrait is attributed to Malibu Painter, an Ancient Roman painter active from about 75-100 CE. Why the odd name? Well the particular image you see here, attributed to him, is found at the J. Paul Getty Museum in, you guessed it, Malibu, California.

© Getty Images

Gold leaves -

A portrait of a bearded man wearing a wreath of gold leaves. Circa 150-180 CE.

© Getty Images

Antonine era -

The hairstyle and drapery suggest the portrait of this bearded man dates back to Antonine times.

© Getty Images

Bedazzling -

This portrait dates back to the 2nd century CE. It's part of a collection kept at the National Gallery Prague.

© Getty Images

Accessories -

A portrait of a woman wearing a cloak, necklace, and pendant earrings.

© Public Domain

Hairstyle -

The plaited hairstyle of this woman suggests this portrait dates to the reign of Trajan (98–117 CE).

© Public Domain

Beautiful boy -

A Fayum mummy portrait of a boy with a floral garland in his hair. The portrait is part of collection that can be found in the Brooklyn Museum in New York City.

© Getty Images

References -

(Artsy) (National Geographic) 

© Getty Images

See also - Fascinating facts about mummification

© iStock