Nefertiti 'had two faces'

The Telegraph ^ | 3/31/2009

[bruinbirdman]

Researchers in Germany have uncovered a secret within one of ancient Egypt's most treasured artworks – the bust of Nefertiti has two faces.

A team led by Dr Alexander Huppertz, director of the Imaging Science Institute at Berlin's Charite hospital and medical school, discovered a detailed stone carving that differs from the external stucco face when they performed a computed tomography, or CT, scan on the bust.

The findings, published in the monthly journal Radiology, are the first to show that the stone core of the statue is a highly detailed sculpture of the queen, Mr Huppertz said.

Until we did this scan, how deep the stucco was and whether a second face was underneath it was unknown," he said. "The hypothesis was that the stone underneath was just a support."

The differences between the faces, though slight – creases at the corners of the mouth, a bump on the nose of the stone version – suggest to Mr Huppertz that someone expressly ordered the adjustments between stone and stucco when royal sculptors immortalised the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten 3,300 years ago.

"Changes were made, but some of them are positive, others are negative," he said.

John H Taylor, a curator for Ancient Egypt and Sudan at the British Museum in London, said the scan raises interesting questions about why the features were adjusted – but that answers will probably remain elusive.

"One could deduce that the final version was considered in some way more acceptable than the 'hidden' one, though caution is needed in attempting to explain the significance of these changes," Mr Taylor said.

[AndrewB]

[RobbyS]

Even in those days they retouched portraits?

[GSP.FAN]

Janus?

[RobbyS]

The evil twin sister of Mother Theresa?

[Jeff Chandler]

I wonder if they used to slide the cone down lower to keep her from scratching?

[hinckley buzzard]

The differences between the faces, though slight – creases at the corners of the mouth, a bump on the nose of the stone version –

Botox and a nose job--whaddya know.

[UCANSEE2]

I know a country, right now, that has a two-faced leader.

[Rembrandt]

Hey, gee whiz, I guess Nefertiti was a Democrat.

[redheadtoo]

A cosmetic touch-up? Maybe. Or, perhaps the bust underneath is someone else. Painters have been known to use second hand canvas,why can't an artist use second hand stone?

[bruinbirdman]

"I know a country, right now, that has a two-faced leader."

yitbos

[FrogMom]

Over here!

[Mila]

A CT scan shows slight differences on the face underneath, including creases around the mouth and eyes and a bump on the nose of the stone version. (Radiological Society of North America/Associated Press)

[SunkenCiv]

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·
	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks FrogMom! To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
·Dogpile · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society · · Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google · · The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·

[AFreeBird]

Sculptoshop 1.0

[Bookwoman]

AAAAAAAUUUUGGGGHHHHH! This is the single most creepy picture I’ve seen on FR. Congratulations.

[Zechariah_8_13]

I wonder if they used to slide the cone down lower to keep her from scratching?

That's the best laugh I've had all week! ROGLOLOL