Stone Talk
by Athar Jaber | 31 August 2025
Why Statues Lose Their Noses
A friend recently asked me why so many noses on ancient statues are broken. The answer goes beyond simple erosion or accident. In many cases, the damage was deliberate: striking the nose was a way to strip the statue of its symbolic “breath of life,” while also being the most fragile and protruding feature to target. It’s a fascinating reminder of how power, symbolism, and violence continue to shape what survives from antiquity. This short video offers a clear explanation.
A Cabinet of Noses
Following on from the question of broken noses, some museums even keep collections of them. In Copenhagen’s Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, for instance, there is a Nasothek—a cabinet filled with nearly a hundred sculpted noses used in the 19th century to restore damaged ancient statues. When attitudes shifted toward preserving authenticity, the prosthetic noses were removed, but instead of being discarded they were displayed together to reveal how restoration practices have evolved.
How to Study a Roman Head (Archaeologically)
As we are already speaking of archaeological findings, broken features, restoration, and preservation, I’d like to point the more academically inclined reader to this recent study. It examines a newly discovered Roman head with great care, combining archaeological, historical, and scientific approaches into a single investigation. The study has a lot of information to digest, but is exemplary in showing how ancient artifacts should be studied today: methodologically sound, contextually attentive, and deeply respectful of the integrity of the work.
Visiting Saloua Raouda Choucair
Last week I was in Beirut and visited the museum of Saloua Raouda Choucair, probably, alongside Mona Saudi, the most important Arab woman sculptor of the 20th century. Walking through her museum, I was struck by the breadth of her œuvre: from modular stone sculptures to tapestry and jewellery, each work testifies to a lifetime of experimentation and an uncompromising vision. Her legacy feels both deeply rooted in Arab culture and fully engaged with international modernism. It is difficult to overstate her importance, not only as a pioneer of abstraction in the region but also as an artist who consistently challenged boundaries. This article beautifully captures her life and work.
Q&A
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I hope you enjoyed these points and that you learned something new.
Until next week,
Athar
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