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Bust of a woman wearing a stephane diadem decorated with tendrils; 2nd C BCE, Pergamon [d/b]

Upper part of the queen’s body, Hellenistic period, second quarter of the 2nd century BC. Antikensammlung, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (AvP VII 87). © SMB / Antikensammlung
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In the SM Berlin inv. no. AvP VII 87

  • 2nd quarter 2nd century BCE; Greek / Hellenistic
  • Discovery site: Northeast corner of the altar (Turkey / Pergamon / Great Altar)

“The upper body was found in the cistern together with AvP VII 90 (“Beautiful Head”); a fragment of the right arm at the NE corner of the altar.

The woman wears a hair ornament adorned with tendrils and has pulled her cloak over her head as a veil. The larger than life representation is reminiscent of portraits of rulers of other Hellenistic kingdoms. But her name remains unknown to us, because to this day it has not been possible to reliably identify even a single portrait of a Pergamene queen. Contrary to what it might seem, the portrait is not designed as a bust, but was the separately worked part of a statue.”

Upper body of a queen, 175–150 B.C.E. The Met exhibition