
STRIKE THE POWER
Conspiracy theory suggesting that noses were broken off because of negroid features debunked
Curator Edward Bleiberg of the Brooklyn Museum’s Egyptian art galleries research into the issue of why many pharaonic statues and flat reliefs had broken and defaced features became the subject of an art exhibition. “Striking Power: Iconoclasm in Ancient Egypt.”
The exhibition held last year, showcased statues and reliefs dating from 2400BC to 100AD with damaged features to those with complete features.
Egyptian art was infused with political and religious vocations according to egyptologists. The numerous foreign invasions and power struggles through almost 3000 years of ancient Egyptian history ultimately left their mark on the visual arts.
Bleiberg said that due to the simple fact that the art objects had power led to iconoclasm. A statue of a deceased pharaoh was alive in the afterlife. Therefore cutting of his nose or arm degrades his power. He cannot smell the roses of the afterlife. A broken arm means he cannot offer sacrifices to the gods, if ears were struck off, he was unable to hear the gods and cries of his subjects.
So by defacing statues, rulers were able to rewrite history and the iconoclasts were not simply vandals but highly skilful individuals that could read and write that is why specific art objects were targeted.
“Visual imagery is a reflection of who has the power to tell the story of what happened and what should be remembered.” He added.
Source: AP
About Post Author
felastory
Share this:
- Click to print (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)
- Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
More Stories
Take Me Home
British Royal Family rejects request of the exhumation and return of 19th century Ethiopian prince who died in England Buckingham...
Queen of Rock Dies
Rock Queen Tina Turner dies after a long illness at her home in Switzerland at the age of 83 first...
Failed Assassination Attempt on Biden
Indian-American teenager charged with plotting to assassinate US president after crashing U-Haul truck into White House barriers The driver of...
White House Crash
US Secret Service detain suspected neo-Nazi for intentionally ramming White House fence with U-Haul truck A suspect has been detained...
China Slams G7
China accuses western bloc of trying to impose its will on the international community and says such impositions will be...
Jesus Christ more Powerful than Ifa
Afrobeat star Seun Kuti forced to accept Jesus Christ after his Ifa philosophy was rejected by cell mates he now...
Average Rating