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It is not clear whether those depicted are of Egyptian, Greek or Roman origin, nor whether the portraits were commonly used by all ethnicities.
The name of some of those portrayed are known from inscriptions, they are of Egyptian, Greek and Roman origin.
Hairstyles and clothing are always influenced by Roman fashion.
Women and children are often depicted wearing valuable ornaments and fine garments, men often wearing specific and elaborate outfits.
Greek inscriptions of names are relatively common, sometimes they include professions.
It is not known whether such inscriptions always reflect reality, or whether they may state ideal conditions or aspirations rather than true conditions.
One single inscription is known to definitely indicate the deceased's profession ( a shipowner ) correctly. The mummy of a woman named Hermione also included the term grammatike ( γραμματική ).
For a long time, it was assumed that this indicated that she was a teacher by profession ( for this reason, Flinders Petrie donated the portrait to Girton College, Cambridge, the first residential college for women in Britain ), but today, it is assumed that the term indicates her level of education.
Some portraits of men show sword-belts or even pommels, suggesting that they were members of the Roman military.

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