An Egyptian Pantheon at the Origin of European Painting

The framed wooden panel paintings from Egypt in the Roman period document an integrated, "cosmopolitan" pantheon, introducing Arabian caravan gods among the Egyptian and Greek gods. While in technique the paintings were found to employ the Greek four-color palette, in their cultic uses and compositions they foreshadowed Medieval and Renaissance paintings. The study of these ancient works identifies important innovations, including the first true triptych paintings.