An ancient Egyptian stone carving dating back 2,050 years depicts Queen Cleopatra dressed as a man.
This stone slab is one of only three known artifacts that portray Cleopatra in a masculine form. The other two artifacts, also from 51 BC, date back to the early reign of Cleopatra.
Researchers believe that the recently discovered slab, measuring 34×25 cm, originates from Tell Moqdam, an Egyptian city known in ancient Greek as Leonton Polis, meaning “City of the Lion.”
“The carving depicts Cleopatra dressed as a pharaoh, wearing a male double crown and presenting a war symbol to a lion kneeling on a pedestal,” said Willy Clarysse, the lead researcher. “Above the lion’s head is a hieroglyphic inscription referring to the creature as ‘Osiris the Lion’—indicating that the lion is mummified and symbolizes the god Osiris of the underworld.”
Osiris is a significant deity in Egyptian culture. Royals often offered gifts to this god in hopes of securing stability and power.
Clarysse, an Egyptologist at the Catholic University of Belgium, speculates that Cleopatra’s gender representation may stem from the laziness of artists.
“In 51 BC, Ptolemy XII, Cleopatra’s father, was the king of Egypt. After his death, one of the stone slabs had already been carved. The engraver filled in the name of the new ruler on the stone but did not change the pharaoh’s image from male to female, likely because it was too difficult or cumbersome,” Clarysse explained.
Clarysse also points out evidence that Cleopatra’s legs were re-carved, suggesting someone intended to alter the original image but ultimately abandoned the effort.
Another Egyptian queen—Hatshepsut, who lived around the 15th to 16th century BC—is often depicted with a flat chest, dressed in male clothing and sporting a thick beard. Many historians believe she deliberately created these male symbols to assert her power and claim the throne at a time when most women held no authority.
Clarysse dismisses the notion that Cleopatra’s subjects were confused about her gender. Images on temples and coins from that era consistently depict her as a woman. “Moreover, her name (unlike Hatshepsut’s) indicates Cleopatra is female, as both Greek and Egyptian names for women typically end with the letter ‘a’,” he added.
The Cleopatra slab is currently housed in the collection of Peking University, China. A professor at the university discovered the slab tucked away in a corner of the museum’s storage room.
