Talk #14: The Curious Case of Broken Noses on Ancient Egyptian Statues

• Posted: Monday, October 19, 2026
• Talks > Ancient Egypt
• Justin Newland

Why are the noses broken on so many ancient Egyptian statues? Why deface a statue anyway? And why the nose? Why not the ears or the eyes? Not only were statues defaced, friezes were too. Nor did it only occur in the Old Kingdom; it was commonplace in the Middle and New Kingdom. In this illustrated talk, Somerset author and speaker Dr Justin Newland explores this curious phenomenon and proposes some remarkable explanations.