Most people are familiar with the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton movie Antony and Cleopatra, which also starred Rex Harrison as Julius Caesar...
here is one of my favorite renderings of Cleopatra, by Austrian painter Hans Makart, looking like the spitting image of my sister! Cleopatra was known to have a fairly prominent nose and was of Macedonian (Slavic, not quite "Greek") and Parthian (Persian Empire) heritage, yet we still don't know what she looked like. But the model was possibly Austrian...
here is one of my favorite renderings of Cleopatra, by Austrian painter Hans Makart, looking like the spitting image of my sister! Cleopatra was known to have a fairly prominent nose and was of Macedonian (Slavic, not quite "Greek") and Parthian (Persian Empire) heritage, yet we still don't know what she looked like. But the model was possibly Austrian...
a bust of Cleopatra which has survived the ravages of time...
and here's a very much stylized version of Cleopatra showing her in her regal attire and makeup, the elongated eye makeup which she has been imagined to wear based on Egyptian tomb art...
and here's a very much stylized version of Cleopatra showing her in her regal attire and makeup, the elongated eye makeup which she has been imagined to wear based on Egyptian tomb art... 
among some pretty exotic items such as ground gems malachite and lapis lazuli, which she used for eye shadow, Cleopatra was also known to wear violet perfume...
and used Rose Water, often to flavor her water...
a sketch of details from several tomb painting showing Egyptian women at their "toilet" or grooming themselves...
you would probably have found makeup powders and potions in ceramic jars such as this one...
which is why I love these Egyptian Earth cosmetics which seem so "earthy" and authentic...
here's a bronzer powder in a clay pot!
and a more modern version in pressed powder...but look at the lovely packaging...
you're probably all familiar with henna tattoos which were really all the rage in the 90's but here's a vintage henna hair dye bottle which I just love!
I also adore the graphics of these Egyptian soaps which I came across at a local perfumery shop that's closing down soon and I was able to get some fantastic deals on soaps, oils, incense...
this lotus oil I got I'd like to think is from a gorgeous blue water lilly which can be found in Egypt, but it's probably from India or Thailand, and also has rose and jasmine in it...it's the most delightfully floral smell...
Egyptian Shalimar perfumed oil...
a very musky, deep, dark and haunting fragrance-I think I can smell musk, vanilla, sandalwood, cloves, and a powdery overnote...wish I knew more about perfume making...they'd look a whole lot grander in one of these gorgeous and delicate Egyptian perfume bottles, no doubt...
and I came across this picture of an Egyptian glass bottle maker...what a nerve-wracking job!
I wish Zahi Hawass, Egypt's foremost Archaeologist, the best of luck in locating Cleopatra's tomb, where Marcus Antonius(Mark Antony) was also supposedly laid to rest! Digging is well underway...
Zahi Hawass holding a remnant of Marcus Antonius' death mask...it could very possibly be...
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