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Primary sourceSculpturec. 100 BCE

Statuette of Cleopatra VII with Triple Uraeus

c. 100 BCE

An Egyptian-style statuette of Cleopatra holding a fly-whisk and wearing a triple cobra crown unique to her, now in the Louvre.

An Egyptian-style depiction showing how Cleopatra presented herself as a native queen-goddess.

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Photo of a dark, weathered Egyptian-style stone sculpture of a seated female figure with a tall, banded wig and a crossed-arm pose, set against a black-to-gray gradient background. The base is broken and the surface is flaked in places.
Statuette of Cleopatra VII, c. 100 BCE. Louvre, Paris.

About this source

What it is

This is a small statuette of Cleopatra VII, carved in Egyptian style, dated to around 100 BCE. It is held in the Department of Egyptian Antiquities of the Louvre.

Why it matters

The statuette shows Cleopatra holding a fly-whisk and wearing a triple uraeus, a crown symbol unique to her among Egyptian rulers. It presents her as a native Egyptian queen-goddess, rather than as a Greek monarch, showing how she used different images for different audiences.

Look closer

  • Why might Cleopatra choose to be shown in Egyptian style here instead of Greek style?
  • What does the triple uraeus symbol suggest about how she wanted to be seen?
  • Who do you think this image was meant for, and how might that shape what it shows?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Cleopatra on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Close-up photo of a brownish papyrus sheet with dark ink lines of Greek handwriting in columns, torn edges, and a dark background showing through a split down the middle.Document

Primary source

Papyrus with Signature of Cleopatra VII

Ptolemaic scribe; possibly countersigned by Cleopatra VII · February 33 BCE

Hand-coloured aquatint titled Baths of Cleopatra, at Alexandria. A rocky coastal scene with a curved sandy inlet in the foreground, stone steps and a small arched doorway, a hill with ruined structures behind, and sailing boats on the sea. Figures in turbans and robes stand on the shore and sit in a rowboat.Painting

Secondary source

Baths of Cleopatra, at Alexandria

Luigi Mayer · 1802

Sepia-toned photograph of a white marble seated statue of Cleopatra by William Wetmore Story. She sits on a plinth engraved with the name CLEOPATRA, head resting on her raised hand, wearing a veil and draped robe, against a stone wall.Sculpture

Secondary source

Cleopatra

William Wetmore Story

Photograph of a white marble bust of a woman's head and upper neck, turned to the viewer's right. Wavy hair is combed over the forehead, a smooth bun sits at the back, and the hair shows a pinkish-brown discoloration. Light gray wall behind.Sculpture

Primary source

Portrait of Cleopatra (Berlin Bust)

c. 40-30 BCE

Marble sculpture of a woman's head and upper neck, shown in three-quarter view on a black stand against a brick wall. The hair is pulled back under a band with a knot at the top and a braided bun at the back. The face is calm with straight brows, a long nose, and closed lips. The bust is cut off at the base.Sculpture

Primary source

Head-Portrait of Cleopatra VII (Vatican Bust)

c. 40-30 BCE

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