The truth about the centuries-old skull, believed to belong to Cleopatra's half-sister

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A mystery dating back nearly a century about a skull believed to belong to Cleopatra's murdered half-sister has been solved using modern DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating. The skull, discovered in 1929 by archaeologists excavating a tomb in Ephesos, Turkey, was thought to belong to Arsinoe IV, Cleopatra's half-sister, who was reportedly killed in 41 BCE at the behest of the Egyptian queen's lover, Mark Antony.


The skull was discovered in 1929 during excavations of an "Octagon" tomb in Ephesos, Turkey, by archaeologist Josef Keil and his team. Initially, Keil hypothesised that the remains were of "a very distinguished person," likely a 20-year-old woman, leading to speculations that it could be of Cleopatra's sister. But, new research conducted by specialists at the University of Vienna, led by anthropologist Gerhard Weber, has debunked the longstanding theory. Using advanced scans, DNA analysis, and radiocarbon dating, the team determined that the skull actually belonged to a boy aged between 11 and 14.


"It was long speculated that it could be the remains of Arsinoe IV, the sister of the famous Cleopatra," Science News reported. "However, the latest anthropological analyses show that the remains are those of a boy between the ages of 11 and 14 who suffered from pathological developmental disorder."


Radiocarbon dating indicates the skull dates between 36 BCE and 205 BCE. Genetic analysis suggests the boy was likely a native of Italy or Sardinia, dismissing any connection to Arsinoe IV. After its discovery, Mr Keil transported the remains to Germany and later to Austria, where they have remained ever since.


In 2022, archaeologists found a long tunnel - 1,305 metres long and 13 metres deep - under the Taposiris Magna temple ruins on Egypt's coast. Kathleen Martinez from the University of Santo Domingo, who has been searching for Cleopatra VII's tomb since 2004, said the tunnel might lead to it. While the chance is "one per cent," she called it a possible "discovery of the century."