HomeCultureWhy So Many Ancient Statues Have Broken Noses?

Why So Many Ancient Statues Have Broken Noses?

If you ever visited a museum, you have probably seen at least one nose-less ancient statue, but why? This is a question that a lot of people have asked.

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Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin / Wikimedia

From Ancient Egypt, Ancient India, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome to the present, statues have been associated with what people in the past chose to celebrate and commemorate. The truth is, ancient statues are hundreds and thousands of years old and they have all gone through bad experiences and conditions. Below are some theories to your question.

Natural causes?

As the time flew, is it normal that natural causes like corrosion to affect the statues and it’s the main reason why the nose is missing but also a part of the face/body. But that is even true? Most of these statues were indoors where they were not much affected by wind and rain

One massive outside statue is the Great Sphinx, which is located alongside the Great Pyramids in Giza Plateau, whose nose is also mysterious missing.

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kallerna / Wikimedia

Statues, lives after death

Especially Ancient Egypt was known for having strict religious beliefs, and they believed that people’s life force, was transferred to their statues when they died. The Egyptians strongly believed that the nose itself was the source of life for the deceased. In those days, people who went to rob the tombs were breaking the statue’s nose because they thought they won’t be able to breathe and was the only way to kill them once and for all. But, the nose wasn’t the only thing targeted, other parts of the statues such as the head or arms were also damaged.

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Gary Todd / Wikimedia

Political reasons

Defacing is also a potential cause of the missing noses on ancient statues. The dynasties that came before the current one were seen as inferior, so most leaders would have the status of previous leaders, pharaohs, or rulers defaced. In the Ancient world, to solidify their superiority, defamation was a common move.

Other causes can be attributed to human errors where the statues were mishandled, kicked, or knocked over. Parts of statues that stick out, such as noses, arms, heads, and others are always the first parts to break off.

Facts about Ancient Statues

  • The oldest confirmed statuettes in the world are The Löwenmensch and the Venus of Hohle Fels, both from Germany. The scientists predicted that the statues dating to 35,000-40,000 years ago.
  • Since marble and bronze were so easy to get, many of the statues were made of these materials.
  • The Venus de Milo is an ancient Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic period, and its one of the most famous works of ancient world.
  • The Nefertiti Bust never had the left eye.
egypt statues in egypt sphinx egypt ancient statues what are the egyptian statues called statues missing noses egypt statues statues of egypt statues in egypt egypt cat statues ancient egypt statues egypt dog statues egypt statue of liberty egypt statue sphinx egypt statues sphinx how much do statues cost why are egyptian statues missing noses why do egyptian statues have broken noses ancient egypt cat statues egypt statues noses why do egyptian statues missing noses egypt statue no nose what are the statues in egypt called egypt statues names egyptian statues in egypt ancient egypt statues noses ancient egypt statues for sale statues from egypt why egypt statues missing noses egypt stone statues egypt big statues why are ancient egypt statues missing noses ancient egypt god statues egypt statues for sale egypt statue with no nose egypt statue lion Neferneferuaten Nefertiti was a queen of the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten. Nefertiti and her husband were known for a religious revolution, in which they worshipped one god only, Aten, or the sun disc Magnus Manske / Wikimedia Commons
Magnus Manske / Wikimedia Commons

Read more: Why are so many headless statues?

The mystery of The Great Pyramids and The Great Sphynx

Chernobyl – The Worst Nuclear Disaster In History – Images

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