Cleopatra VII (Artistic Facial Reconstruction)

Illustration

Arienne King
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published on 27 March 2023
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Facial reconstruction of the Ptolemaic Egyptian queen Cleopatra VII (r. 51-30 BCE). This artistic representation of Cleopatra is primarily based on a bust from the Berlin Altes Museum, widely agreed to depict Cleopatra. In addition to the Berlin portrait, the features in this reconstruction are based upon contemporary coin portraits and a bust from the British Museum which may depict Cleopatra.

In those portraits and this reconstruction, Cleopatra wears a Macedonian cloth diadem which was traditionally worn by Hellenistic monarchs. Cleopatra's hair colour is unknown; she was of primarily Macedonian Greek descent, and two frescoes, one of a red-headed queen and another of a dark-haired Venus, have been suggested to represent her. The earring depicted is based on 1st-century BCE Ptolemaic jewelry from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

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About the Author

Arienne King
Arienne King is a writer and historical consultant specializing in Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt. She has written for publications such as Ancient History Magazine, and Ancient World Magazine. She is also a panelist on AskHistorians.

Cite This Work

APA Style

King, A. (2023, March 27). Cleopatra VII (Artistic Facial Reconstruction). World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17227/cleopatra-vii-artistic-facial-reconstruction/

Chicago Style

King, Arienne. "Cleopatra VII (Artistic Facial Reconstruction)." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified March 27, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17227/cleopatra-vii-artistic-facial-reconstruction/.

MLA Style

King, Arienne. "Cleopatra VII (Artistic Facial Reconstruction)." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 27 Mar 2023. Web. 09 Jan 2025.

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