SAEDNEWS: One archaeologist claims this small statue of a crowned woman could be Cleopatra VII — but other experts disagree.
According to the History and Culture section of SaedNews, a small white marble statue, easily held in the hand, depicts a woman wearing a royal crown. Archaeologist Kathleen Martinez, who leads a Dominican-Egyptian excavation team, believes this may be a bust of Cleopatra VII. Cleopatra VII (69–30 BCE) was the last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which began when Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander the Great’s generals, assumed control over ancient Egypt in 305 BCE.
However, other archaeologists are skeptical that the bust represents Cleopatra VII. Some suggest it may depict a princess or another royal woman. Zahi Hawass, former Egyptian Minister of Antiquities, who was not involved in this discovery but has previously excavated in the area, stated that he believes the bust dates to a period after Cleopatra.
Hawass commented: “I examined the bust carefully. This is not Cleopatra at all—it’s Roman.” During the Ptolemaic dynasty, pharaohs were depicted in Egyptian artistic styles, not Roman. The Roman period in Egypt began in 30 BCE, following Cleopatra’s death. Cleopatra’s tomb has never been found.
The city of Taposiris Magna, founded around 280 BCE near the Mediterranean Sea, housed several temples dedicated to Osiris and Isis. Another fragmentary royal bust, wearing a “nemes” headdress that covers the head and shoulders, was discovered near the female statue at the Taposiris Magna temple. However, it remains unclear which ruler this piece represents.
Various artifacts, including pottery jars, coins, oil lamps, and male and female busts, were also uncovered at the site. Archaeologists discovered 337 coins, many depicting Cleopatra VII, near the busts. Other finds include oil lamps, a bronze ring dedicated to Hathor, the sky goddess, and an amulet inscribed with the phrase “The Justice of Ra Has Risen.”
All of these artifacts were found together as part of a “foundation deposit”—archaeological remains buried beneath building foundations. Ancient Egyptians typically buried such offerings just before constructing an important structure. Today, these are known as foundation deposits.
The coins were found at the Taposiris Magna temple site, and many bear the image of Cleopatra VII, the last Ptolemaic ruler. In addition, remains of another temple, dating roughly between the 4th and 2nd centuries BCE, were also uncovered at Taposiris Magna. Near this temple, a cemetery containing at least 20 tombs was discovered. Underwater excavations have also revealed human remains, pottery, and structures that have yet to be identified or dated.
Martinez and her team have been working at the site for over a decade, uncovering temple remains, tombs, and a large tunnel beneath a temple. She previously proposed that Taposiris Magna may contain Cleopatra VII’s tomb, though this theory has received limited support among other archaeologists.
