Ancient Egyptians believed statues, including the Sphinx, contained a life-force, so when opposing forces came along, cutting off a statue’s nose was the best way of killing it. Without a nose, the god could not breathe, game over. A lot of people think Napoleon’s army shot the nose off the Sphinx just to be dicks, but that actually happened much earlier. Muhammad Sa’im al-Dahr, a Sufi Muslim, wasn’t thrilled by what he regarded as idol worship, so, in 1378 CE, he ordered the nose removed and was then executed for vandalism. But none of this explains how astronomer Tycho Brahe lost his proboscis. Well, rest easy, America. I totally got this.
© 2024 John Oliver
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