Archaeologists have discovered that a skull that was believed to belong to Arsinoë IV, Cleopatra’s half-sister, is actually from an adolescent boy who had a genetic disorder.
The new study which combines the CT scans and DNA analysis has proved once and for all that the skeleton, which was discovered in Turkey a century ago, was not Arsinoë, reports LiveScience.
In the latest study published in the journal Scientific Reports, a team of researchers reinvestigated the possibility that the skull recovered a century ago was Cleopatra’s half-sister.
Radiocarbon analysis of the remains dated the individual’s death to between 205 and 36 BC, aligning with the time of Arsinoë’s historically recorded death.
However, the skeletal development indicated that the individual was only 11 to 14 years old, significantly younger than Arsinoë at the time of her death.
In 1929, archaeologists discovered a skeleton within a marble sarcophagus inside a structure known as the Octagon at Ephesus, an archaeological site in Turkey renowned for its grand temple dedicated to Artemis, the ancient Greek goddess of the hunt.
Although no grave goods or inscriptions were found, researchers concluded that the burial belonged to a significant young woman.
They speculated that the remains might be those of Arsinoë IV, who had opposed her half-sister and Julius Caesar by leading the Siege of Alexandria between 48 and 47 BC.
After her defeat, Arsinoë sought refuge at the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus. However, in 41 BC, at the age of 22, she was executed on the orders of Marc Antony.
The lead author Gerhard Weber, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at the University of Vienna, said in a statement: “But then came the big surprise. In repeated tests, the skull and femur both clearly showed the presence of a Y chromosome — in other words, a male.”
Due to the skull bones being thinner and more fragile than anticipated, the researchers conducted further analysis of the skeleton and identified previously unnoticed deformities.
One notable finding was the premature closure of a cranial suture—one of the wavy lines where the skull bones fuse during life—which typically remains open until after age 65. This early closure caused the boy’s skull to develop asymmetrically.
According to the study, the abnormally shaped upper jaw combined with at least one tooth showing no signs of wear was more striking. These features suggest the boy may have had a poorly functioning upper jaw and possibly a small, misaligned lower jaw.
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