DOI Artikel:
Daszewski, Wiktor Andrzej: Marina el-Alamein 1991
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26426#0036
were unfortunately completely destroyed. The westem chamber,
very similar in size, contained four burials, somewhat better
preserved. Three of the mummies belonged to adults, one was that
of a child. Gilding was preserved on the outer surface of the
bandages. The one preserved portrait represented a young male in
a golden wreath on his head (Fig. 3); it was painted in the
encaustic technique on a thin wooden panel and betrayed the hand
of a practised artist who still embodied the spirit of Hellenistic art
in his work. Excellent lines and expert use of colours have given
in effect a masterpiece of painting. On stylistic grounds, the
portrait should be dated to the beginning of the 2 nd century A.D..
There can be no doubt as to the importance of the discovery
of mummies with painted portraits of the dead in the necropolis of
Marina. Portraits of this kind have so far been associated with the
Fayum oasis and certain sites in Upper Egypt; this is the first time
that they have been recorded this far to the north, on the
Mediterranean coast, The discovery poses several questions,
answers to which will have to wait for the results of further
explorations, Questions concem the localization of painting
workshops as well as mummification centres. The presence of
mummies in Marina testifies again to the wealth of the inhabitants
of this seaside city, for the costs of preparing gilded mummies
with painted portraits were considerable.
In the third excavated sector located about 80 m northwest of
the S6 complex (Fig 1.), another large hypogeum measuring a total
length of more than 22 m was found (77). Its stmcture differed
somew'hat in that it did not possess an aboveground mausoleum.
The rockcut staircase covered with a flat roof was entered by a
wide door leading to a short corridor on the surface and a flight of
steps descending about 5 m to a courtyard which opened in tum on
a large chamber with a number of loculi. The tomb had been
plundered, presumably a long time ago, although not in antiquity.
34
very similar in size, contained four burials, somewhat better
preserved. Three of the mummies belonged to adults, one was that
of a child. Gilding was preserved on the outer surface of the
bandages. The one preserved portrait represented a young male in
a golden wreath on his head (Fig. 3); it was painted in the
encaustic technique on a thin wooden panel and betrayed the hand
of a practised artist who still embodied the spirit of Hellenistic art
in his work. Excellent lines and expert use of colours have given
in effect a masterpiece of painting. On stylistic grounds, the
portrait should be dated to the beginning of the 2 nd century A.D..
There can be no doubt as to the importance of the discovery
of mummies with painted portraits of the dead in the necropolis of
Marina. Portraits of this kind have so far been associated with the
Fayum oasis and certain sites in Upper Egypt; this is the first time
that they have been recorded this far to the north, on the
Mediterranean coast, The discovery poses several questions,
answers to which will have to wait for the results of further
explorations, Questions concem the localization of painting
workshops as well as mummification centres. The presence of
mummies in Marina testifies again to the wealth of the inhabitants
of this seaside city, for the costs of preparing gilded mummies
with painted portraits were considerable.
In the third excavated sector located about 80 m northwest of
the S6 complex (Fig 1.), another large hypogeum measuring a total
length of more than 22 m was found (77). Its stmcture differed
somew'hat in that it did not possess an aboveground mausoleum.
The rockcut staircase covered with a flat roof was entered by a
wide door leading to a short corridor on the surface and a flight of
steps descending about 5 m to a courtyard which opened in tum on
a large chamber with a number of loculi. The tomb had been
plundered, presumably a long time ago, although not in antiquity.
34