Although sculptures are not the first thing that comes to mind when it is called Ancient Egypt, one of the greatest civilizations of humanity, sculptures and busts are among the most frequently encountered period works in exhibitions and museums. Among the most obvious common features of these statues and busts is the absence of noses.
The answer to the question of why these sculptures do not have noses is quite interesting. Normally, the nasal structures disappear over time because it is a small protrusion in the face area. Due to different external factors, noses can wear down and fall off over time, so some sculptures on our Aegean coast are very valuable as they can somehow protect their limbs, especially the nose. However, this is not the case with Ancient Egyptian statues, all of whom lost their noses by human hands a long, long time ago.
Breaking the mouths of the ancient pharaohs
If you think it’s normal for a 4,000-year-old limestone statue to fall off, you’re right. Because many Ancient Egypt experts, whose job it is to examine these structures, were of the same opinion. That view didn’t change until Edward Bielberg, the Brooklyn Museum’s Head of Egyptian, Classical and Ancient Near East Collections, rolled up his sleeves to find out why the statues didn’t have noses.
There is a point here that draws Bielberg’s attention and shakes the theory that “the nose falls out because it is protruding”, and the nose part is clearly damaged in the two-dimensional reliefs. This is the case with almost every relief, not one, two, or five. So what was the reason for this?
In fact, statues and reliefs of old political figures were subject to vandalism due to iconoclasm, the hatred of icons, whose examples we still see today. The purpose of the organized actions was to break the noses of the statues and reliefs of the ancient pharaohs. The reason was politics.
It is difficult to be the head of religion and state.
To give a quick information about Ancient Egypt, the person who carried the title of pharaoh would also be a chosen god. Naturally, it was normal for them to want to see their statues and icons all over the country. Moreover, the elite of the period kept these works in their homes. In this way, the pharaoh would have reminded his subjects of his power.
According to the belief at that time, images of gods and humans also had power. According to this belief, the essences of gods or persons could live in the statue dedicated to them. Therefore, statues had an important role in performing rituals and feeding and maintaining the power of the gods. Iconoclasm actions aimed to disrupt this power.
It was intended to deplete the power of the statues
Iconoclasm acts were aimed at removing the power of statues. When a pharaoh died, a new replacement would have the statues of the old ruler broken off, distorting their appearance. Also, breaking the noses would prevent the sculpture from “breathing” and feeding. Thus, the divine powers of the works would also disappear. With this logic, if the statues were taking an offering, their right hand would be broken, and if they were offering something, their left hand would be broken and this power would also be destroyed.
Iconoclasm acts were widespread and systematic. We can understand this from the texts of that period. In many written texts, it is possible to see the reservations of the pharaohs and people about damaging their own depictions. Most pharaohs issued decrees declaring that they would inflict terrible punishments on those who harmed their image.
Iconoclasm could also be sexist
According to Bielberg, the iconoclasm act, which was carried out mainly for political reasons, also allowed ambitious rulers to write history as it pleased them. Gender could also influence the shape and intensity of iconoclasm. The legacies of Hatshepsut and Nefertiti, the royal queens of ancient Egypt, were largely erased from visual culture.
Among these examples, Hatshepsut ruled with her son when her husband died. Son III: Thutmose, to carry the right to rule when his mother dies to his own family tree and his son, II. He wanted to enthrone Amenhotep. So he started an organization to remove all statues of his mother.
In Bielberg’s view, acts of iconoclasm were not carried out by a group of uninformed slaves, but by highly skilled people. Accessing and removing certain pieces of sculpture was no easy task. This job, which requires knowledge, could not be done by chance.
There are examples of iconoclasm in other cultures.
In fact, iconoclasm is a practice that continues in different forms even today. One of the first things the US did during the Invasion of Iraq was to overthrow or overthrow the statues of Saddam. Thus, the symbols of Saddam’s authority were demolished and a message was given to the society.
It is clear that a statue of Aphrodite from the Ancient Greek period was corrupted as an example of iconoclasm. In addition to the broken pieces of the statue, the fact that a cross is engraved on its forehead gives a very clear idea of who did this work.
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