The portrait of the couple was found in the Italian village of Pompeii, in southern Italy. The portrait of the young man was found attached to a mummy in Egypt. Both date to the 1st century BCE. What can be concluded about the two images? Trade between Africa and Europe caused an exchange of artistic ideas, shown by the similar elements in these portraits.

Women were included in European portraits, but not in north African portraits.

People in northern Africa and southern Europe had similar ancestry, so their portraits tend to look alike.

Christianity influenced artistic trends in many regions of Europe and north Africa, as these portraits show.