Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (14.2002(2003))

MARINA EL-ALAMEIN

EGYPT

below. During this process the tissue depth
pegs were used as guides. The details of the
facial features (nasal shape, lip form and
eyebrow pattern) were modeled with respect
to the assessment of the skull. The surface of
the face was smoothed and a final sculptural
finish achieved (Fig. 3).
At this stage the portrait was viewed and
compared with the facial reconstruction.
The portrait was not in good condition and
some of the facial detail was not visible.
However, from the visible detail it appeared
to show a face with many features consistent
to the facial reconstruction. The eyebrow
pattern, eye shape, nasal shape, lip shape,
chin shape and facial proportions were
similar (Fig. 4). The jawline appeared
rounder and the face fuller in the portrait

than on the facial reconstruction. The eye
size also appeared larger in the portrait, but
this is a common feature of such portraits
and the eyes are often depicted larger than
would be likely in life.
Following the unveiling of the portrait,
the hair was modeled in the short-cropped
curly style seen in the painting, and
a similar beard was added to the facial
reconstruction (cf. Fig. 4). Otherwise the
facial reconstruction was not altered in any
way.
In conclusion, this study suggested that
the portrait was a reliable indicator of the
appearance of this individual in life, and
proved to be another interesting addition to
the portrait-facial reconstruction research
series.


Fig. 4. The Marina Mummy: life portrait on left, portrait painted on wood from the burial on
right (Photo C. Wilkinson, Unit of Art in Medicine, University of Manchester (left);
W.A. Daszewski)

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