Cleopatra VII (Facial Reconstruction)

Illustration

Arienne King
by
published on 27 March 2023
Subscribe to author
Cleopatra VII (Facial Reconstruction) Download Full Size Image

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.

Remove Ads
Advertisement
Subscribe to this author

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 (Facial Reconstruction). World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17227/cleopatra-vii-facial-reconstruction/

Chicago Style

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

MLA Style

King, Arienne. "Cleopatra VII (Facial Reconstruction)." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 27 Mar 2023. Web. 21 Nov 2024.

Membership