Abstract
The Fayum Portraits are a collection of bust-style painted images from Roman Egypt
dated to the first centuries of the first millennium AD. This thesis first considered the history and necessity of encaustic portraiture. The portraits' development, influences, methods, materials, function and discovery are of importance for the study of Roman art in general, and the death ritual of Roman Egypt in particular. The question of reality within the image is fundamental. One method of gauging the possible reality of these portraits is by placing images of contemporary jewellery from the archaeological record beside images of the jewellery from the Fayum Portraits. Such a method allows observation of similarities or differences - in style, motif, material and technique. If a small detail, such as jewellery, is realistic, that permits the assumption that the entire image is also realistic. Having examined the jewellery on the Fayum Portraits carefully and having compared the painted examples with contemporary archaeological pieces, I have concluded that the jewellery shown on the portraits is, to a major extent, realistic. The jewellery depicted on the portraits reflects not only Roman fashion and taste, but also locally found gems and products. This allows the hypothesis that the faces, associated with painted jewellery, are also realistic.