Egypt and Italy collaborate to exhibit ancient Fayum mummy portraits in Rome

Organisers are launching an exhibition titled Egypt and Rome, the Faces of Fayum, at the Ara Pacis museum in Rome.

The show features funerary portraits from the first to third centuries AD, a period when Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire. These portraits, known as the Faces of Fayum, were painted on thin wooden panels and placed over the faces of mummies. The exhibition includes a variety of artefacts such as mummies, masks, shrouds, and jewelry.

Many of these items come from Egypt, with some leaving the country for the first time. One featured piece is the Tondo of the Two Brothers, a restored double portrait from the time of Emperor Hadrian that depicts two young men. Claudio Parisi Presicce, Rome's top official for cultural heritage, described the portraits as an absolute masterpiece of antiquity. The portraits reflect a blend of Egyptian and Roman cultures, showing individuals with Egyptian features wearing Roman clothing.

The arid climate of Fayum, a fertile area on the edge of the Egyptian desert, helped preserve these delicate wooden panels and textiles. The exhibition also features works on loan from international institutions like the Louvre and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It remains open to the public until May 2.