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This was just sent to me this morning. It's an interesting idea...
Subject: EEF: Akhenaten's distortion
> Dear listmembers, > > Akhenaten is notorious for the strange statues and reliefs of himself > and others in the royal family that he had his sculptors carve. There > exist several explanations for these exaggerated forms, e.g. distortions > by some sort of genetic disease (Marfan's syndrome, Froelich's > syndrome, or hyper-pituitrism), truthfully rendered because of the > ankh-em-ma'at principle, or pure artistic license that gives the king > feminine features in an attempt to emulate the Aten as 'father and > mother of mankind.' It is not my intent to reopen debate on this > issue as such (most of the published theories have been discussed > extensively on EEF in the past), but I would like to propose a novel > explanation about which I invite your comments. > > The Egyptian word 'Aten' is usually translated as 'Disc,' but some > authors employ 'Globe' (1) or 'Orb' (2). In many Amarna reliefs, the > Aten is carved to have a convex shape, such as on a balustrade > fragment (3). Further evidence that the Egyptians recognized the > sun as spherical can IMO be seen by comparing the old image of > Re-Horakhty, where the Uraeus draped over the sun-disc has its > head facing in the same direction as the falcon head and its tail in > the rear, with the new Aten where the 'disc' is turned so the Uraeus > faces out; only a sphere would remain round. > > On the high alters of major temples, such as the stela that is believed to > have been the focus of worship in the Great Temple of Aten, the solar > relief would have been gilded, as on the throne of Tutankhamen. If highly > polished, such a golden disc might have formed the first convex mirror > ever fabricated. While worshiping at the alter of the Aten, the King would > have seen his own distorted reflection, and may have regarded his image > as Ma'at in the eye of Aton, one that had to be rendered in sculpting. The > optical properties of convex or spherical mirrors magnify the mid-parts > of the image and elongate the extremities, just like in the strange > Amarna statues and reliefs. Since other gods of Egypt were portrayed in > three-dimensional statues as well as reliefs and paintings, it seems logical > to expect that Aten was also rendered as a spherical 'statue' in polished > gold, which would have the higher curvature needed for extreme distortion. > > (1) C. Desroches-Noblecourt, Tutankhamen: NY Graphic Society, 1963. > (2) W.J. Murnane and C.C. Van Siclen III, The Boundary Stelae of > Akhenaten: Kegan Paul, 1993. > (3) Pharaohs of the Sun, 1999, No. 72, p.226; Aldred 1973, p.56, Fig. 33. > > Regards, > William McMurray > > > >
homeylu Member # 4430
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I don't understand why one would claim his features are "distorted", they seem to be consistent in all his sculptures to the point it makes him easily recognizable. He has that "elongated" face and full lips that I would recognize anywhere. I think it was just his "look", I think that theory is a little exaggerated.
Now if anyone looks "odd" to me, it's the "real" Nefertiti, with her unusually long neck and "bald-head" but yet considered the standard of beauty for women in those days. And what about her kids with their funny shaped long oval heads? LOL
rasol Member # 4592
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Hmm, gives me an idea for a most "funny looking" Kemetians thread.
homeylu Member # 4430
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LOL
Keiko Member # 4827
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I found that a lot of the Egyptians in their reliefs were distorted, I always figured it was becuase of genetic mutation. It is known that the carvings were not fixed to not look exactly like that of the real person. Like the dwarfs back then, they would make their bodies look smooth, just small...so it still looked funny.
I personally don't think that Nerfertiti is distorted. I was speechless when I first saw her bust. I have a miniature bronze Nefertiti bust...I love it
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