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Porphyry Head of a Queen

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Houston Museum of Natural Science
Houston, TX, United States

Porphyry. Ptolemaic Period, 332-30 B.C. Carved from the hard purple stone porphyry, and with the eyes orginally inlaid with black and white glass, this bust can only come from an image of a royal person or a god. The uraeus serpent on the brow identifies it as a royal, while the long tripartite wig is worn by women and godesses. The serene style of the face, and the use of porphyry are typical of the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, Could this queen be the famous Cleopatra VII, last rules of an independent Egypt? The odds are against it - she doesn't resemble securely known images of Cleopatra VII.

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  • Title: Porphyry Head of a Queen
Houston Museum of Natural Science

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