Classify Fayum Portraits

[Scholarios]

The Fayum mummy portraits represent 2nd Century Coptic era images of Egyptian Christians.

http://www.artmajeur.com/files/angeladoliba/images/artworks/650x650/5195521_Fayum_mummy_portrait_(fragment_-_copy)..jpg

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Arts/Painting/Fajum2.jpg


For the above image: (Diogenes the flute player, a Jew? ) from Portrait-Painting in Ancient Egypt." by Amelia Ann Blanford Edwards: “Finer by far, as a work of art, is the portrait of a young man named Diogenes He was apparently a professional musician. A small wooden label found with the mummy-case calls him "Diogenes of the Flute of Arsinoe;" while a second inscription, written in ink upon one of the mummy-wrappings, describes him as "Diogenes who abode at the Harp when he was alive." From these it is evident that he was a flautist, born in the city of Arsinoe, and that when he came to live at Hawara, he lodged at the sign of the Harp. The panel, like too many others, is badly cracked; but the head is so characteristic, and the expression so fine, that not even this blemish mars its effect. There is a set look in the face, as of some solemn purpose to be fulfilled; and the eyes arrest us, like the eyes of a living man. The hair is very thick and curly, and the features are distinctly Jewish in type. That he should be a Jew would be quite in accordance with his profession for the gift of music has ever been an inheritance of the children of Israel. “

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6005/5989533881_1f56e4bedb_z.jpg

http://aegeancenter.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/fayum-portrait.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Fayum-11.jpg/220px-Fayum-11.jpg

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lkX1Je__CZw/TTqcfJbSz1I/AAAAAAAAA-g/LEiZge7w6UY/s640/Fajum3.jpg

http://aegeancenter.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/fayum-4.jpg?w=480

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1251/593746170_b674def87c.jpg?v=0

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Portrait_du_Fayoum_01a.JPG

There is clearly a connection as the middle-ground missing link between Classical Hellenic art and Byzantine Christian art. The gaze strikes me as particularly Byzantine in style.

Which modern population do you think these portraits fit best in? Modern Greeks, Levantines, Egyptians, Italians?

[wvwvw]

They fit modern Scandinavians :rolleyes:

[Anglojew]

They really do look like modern Coptic Egyptians.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2011/09/14/Local/Images/COPTS08_1316030761.jpg

[Tropico]

They look like regular Berber people. The first two pics it looks like they might have some SSA.

[aherne]

Typical today in Egypt as they were 2000 years ago. East-Mediterannean all of them.

[Scholarios]

They really do look like modern Coptic Egyptians.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rf/image_606w/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2011/09/14/Local/Images/COPTS08_1316030761.jpg

They do. The origin of some Coptics is sometimes controversial as well, with some of them being descended from Ethnic Egyptians and some being from local Levantine Monophysites, Syrians etc. who fled to Egypt a few years earlier during the Islamic Conquest. Very controversial though. That's why i chose to ask about Levantines as well.

There is a particular look among them, such as the nose of number 1 and 6 that seems to be common among some levantines and certain greek islanders- especially cypriots. It's that sort of long nose with the ball at the end of it.

[Sikeliot]

They look more Greco-Roman than Coptic to me.

[Scholarios]

They look like regular Berber people. The first two pics it looks like they might have some SSA.

Yes, I notice something that was once described as "Hamitic". When I eat at the local Moroccan restaurant, the staff all have this look.

[Pallantides]

Scary Neolithics...

[Sikeliot]

A few of them remind me of some of the more "Semitic" looking Ethiopians but all in all I could find you exotic Maltese and Sicilians who match most of them, and some Cypriots as well.

I'd even say this one is kind of like how myself and my father look:

http://aegeancenter.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/fayum-4.jpg?w=480

[Scholarios]

A few of them remind me of some of the more "Semitic" looking Ethiopians but all in all I could find you exotic Maltese and Sicilians who match most of them, and some Cypriots as well.

I'd even say this one is kind of like how myself and my father look:

http://aegeancenter.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/fayum-4.jpg?w=480


That's actually one of them I thought who had a Modern Greek nose (here I use Modern Greek to differentiate between the idealized nose of Ancient Greek art) Long, either sloped or straight, with a little ball at the end.

[Sikeliot]

That's actually one of them I thought who had a Modern Greek nose (here I use Modern Greek to differentiate between the idealized nose of Ancient Greek art) Long, either sloped or straight, with a little ball at the end.

Ah. I think he looks kind of like myself and my father.

A lot of them have the droopy round eyes that I see in a lot of southern Italians.

[Smeagol]

Predominantly Mediterranid, some having Sub-Saharan influence (which rules out the possibility of them being Greek) They were predominantly native Egyptian, with a minority having Greek ancestry. Nearly all would fit fine in modern Egypt.

[Sharkeatpeople]

They are look oriental(East)type of med mostly.