A Testament to Enduring Cultural Heritage Cooperation Discovered in Antinoöpolis, the “Tondo of the Two Brothers” was painted in the 2nd century A.D. and is believed to depict two brothers. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced the completion of the restoration project, undertaken in cooperation with Italy, as part of efforts to...
The so-called Faiyum portraits; hauntingly lifelike painted panels affixed to mummies from the Roman Period, are often misrepresented as evidence of Greek or foreign settlers in Egypt. Yet the scientific, archaeological, and cultural record tells a very different story. These portraits, dating mainly from the 1st century B.C. to the 3rd century A.D., come chiefly...
This limestone head (British Museum. 1879,0712.15) shows a woman with a hooked nose, curved nostrils, pointed chin and almond-shaped eyes; features strikingly close to those seen on coin portraits of Cleopatra VII. The hair is styled in the “melon” coiffure, drawn back into a plaited knot, with two ringlets falling by the ears. The ears...
The arrival of Julius Caesar in Egypt in 48 B.C. marked a turning point in the history of the ancient world, intertwining Rome’s fate with that of the Ptolemaic Dynasty. His involvement was not merely a matter of conquest but of political intrigue, romance, and a struggle for supremacy that would shape the future of...
Herakleides lived during the time when Egypt was under Roman rule, which followed after the fall of the Ptolemaic period. His name, “Herakleides, son of Thermos” is inscribed on his mummy shroud. Herakleides was mummified following traditional Egyptian practices but with Roman influences. His body was wrapped in a linen shroud painted red, symbolizing life...
Antinoüs (Antinous. Antinoös. Greek: Ἀντίνοος) was a Greek youth, born in Claudiopolis (present day Bolu, Turkey), in the Roman province of Bithynia et Pontus. By 128 A.D., he had become the Roman Emperor Hadrian’s favourite and lover. Little is known about Antinoüs other than his connection to Hadrian, however, he became a legend after his...
Through the veil of time, a woman’s gaze meets ours, serene, knowing, eternal. This is a woman, whose memory lingers upon the fragile remnants of her cartonnage, linen-wrapped shell that once cradled her in death. Hers is a face preserved in the exquisite art of the Romano-Egyptian mummy portrait, a testament to both beauty and...
The goddess Nut is illustrated with a laden fruit tree behind her. Her hair is long and in tresses, and she is adorned with various jewels such as a chaplet, floral collar, and a necklace with pendants. Her arms are decorated with golden bracelets in the form of snakes. A vertical register of hieroglyphs with...
This mask depicts a woman as if lying flat on her bier. She is adorned with a long, Egyptian-style wig crafted from plant fibres, a deep-red tunic featuring black clavi (stripes), and jewellery that includes a lunula (crescent-shaped pendant) and snake bracelets. Two holes at the lower edge of the tunic allowed the mask to...
This gold medallion of the Roman Emperor Caracalla, was found in Abu Qir, Egypt, and dates from, c. 215-243 A.D. It is one of 20 medallions found within a hoard in Abu Qir, Egypt. One of the medallion’s is marked with “Olympic Games of the year 274”, which could mean that these were medallions given...
