A photo from open sources
One of the most bizarre properties of ancient Egyptian statues is that the vast majority of them are missing noses, including the Great Sphinx, which stands on the Giza plateau near the Great Pyramids.
To date, even among reputable archaeologists and There were many historians who did not attach any importance to this. Say, the sculptures are old, and therefore could not be preserved in perfect condition to this day.
Despite this, the selective nature of such damage and the frequency with which bearless sculptures of ancient Egypt are encountered, made Edward Bleiberg of the Brooklyn Museum ponder the fact that this phenomenon may have an alternative explanation. As a result, the specialist was surprised to determine that the destruction of the noses of the statues turned out to be a deliberate act vandalism by the thieves of antiquities.
The solution to this mystery lies in the belief of the Egyptians that sculptures and other works of art are peculiar “portals” to the afterlife through which the spirits of the dead can penetrate our reality and punish anyone who encroaches on treasures of the pharaohs. However, if any statue is damaged part of the body, then the spirit supposedly also loses it and will not be able to continue cause harm to anyone.
Thus, breaking the sculptures of the noses, the tomb raiders tried to make sure that people from the next world could not breathe and, as a result, to be in the world of the living. It’s a pity that because of this superstitions have been spoiled by many priceless ancient artifacts.
A photo from open sources
As for the Sphinx, there is a version that his nose was beaten off the French army of Napoleon. Today, however, Egyptologists sure that this could not be, since Bonaparte respectfully belonged to the culture of ancient Egypt, in his team there were many scientists. In addition, on one of the sketches of 1786 you can see The Great Sphinx is already without a nose, that is, it was such even before Egyptian campaign of Napoleon (1798 – 1801)
But if you accept a different version, that this is the work of the vandal Muhammad Saim al-Dah, who committed this barbarism in 1378 year (there is mention of this in ancient manuscripts), then today’s Edward Blyberg’s assumption is perfectly true.
Egypt Napoleon Bonaparte Sculptures
