Skull Once Thought to Be Cleopatra’s Sister Identified as Young Boy with Rare Growth Disorder

New analysis reveals the remains from the Ephesos Octagon belonged to a Roman boy, not Arsinoë IV, Cleopatra’s sister, reigniting the search for her burial site.

A skull found in 1929 in the Octagon tomb of Ephesos, Turkey, was long believed to belong to Arsinoë IV, Cleopatra's sister, but new research disproves this theory.
Modern scientific methods, including genetic testing and micro-CT scans, identified the remains as those of a boy aged 11 to 14 who suffered from a severe developmental disorder.
The boy's genetic profile indicates an origin in Italy or Sardinia, further distancing him from the Egyptian royal lineage of Arsinoë IV.
The Octagon tomb, featuring Egyptian architectural influences, remains a mystery, as it was clearly intended for a person of high social status.
The findings, published in *Scientific Reports*, end decades of speculation about Arsinoë IV’s burial and open a new chapter in the search for her remains.