Experts believe this is the remains of a statue of Cleopatra. It was made over 2,000 years ago in Alexandria, Egypt, around 47-30 BC.
The statue is made of black granite. The head of the statue has long, thick braids. These braids may be wigs. She wears a crown on her head - a headband crown. It runs horizontally around her head and forehead, above her bangs. Experts believe the crown once featured a stylized upright cobra - an ancient Egyptian symbol of royalty and divine authority - on the front and center. Today, only a rough and slightly protruding oval of granite remains.
There is a curved horizontal line at the base of her neck. Experts believe this indicates the statue was wearing a thin garment. The shoulders end in rough granite where the arms once were. The sculptural fragment extends to just below the chest. The sculptured surface of the piece is very smooth and polished granite, except for rough patches where hair and parts have broken off.
A black granite pillar is attached to the back of the sculpture. This type of pillar is unusual for such a small statue. There are only two sculptures from this period with this size and rear column. They are also portraits of Cleopatra.
Most people know Cleopatra from the movies as a beautiful seductress who seduced the powerful Roman generals Julius Caesar and Mark Antony for political gain.
Cleopatra was actually an extraordinary queen. Born in 69 BC, she was the last pharaoh to rule Egypt before it was conquered by Rome. At the age of 21, Cleopatra took command of the army. She was also an accomplished intellectual, speaking 12 languages and educated in mathematics, philosophy, and astronomy. She managed a vast bureaucracy and curbed corruption among priests and other officials. When a devastating drought struck, she opened granaries to feed her people. Her rule brought stability and prosperity to Egypt for nearly 22 years.