World

Contested Berlin Bust of Nefertiti a Fake?

by René | May 7, 2009 at 10:41 am

978 views | 59 Recommendations | 7 comments

I find this claim somewhat oppotunistic. A Swiss art historian announces the release of a new book in which he claims that the bust of Nefertiti is actually a fake.

Doesn't have that much proof in my opinion. But here's one of the articles and you can make your own decision.

.....a Swiss art historian is claiming that a delicate bust of the Egyptian monarch in Berlin that was thought to date back to 1347 BC is in fact a 20th-century imposter.

Henri Stierlin says the bust was made by an artist named Gerardt Marks at the request of Ludwig Borchardt, an archaeologist, for research purposes. On December 6, 1912, a German prince admired the statue as an original, the story goes, and Borchardt didn’t have the heart to correct him.

Interesting that this appears just when Egypt's demands for the return of the bust of Nefertiti are heating up and after the recent CT scan of the statue revealed an exquisitely carved limestone base they claim proves its a real artifact, not a copy.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend Sign In or Join to post comments

Amy Judd

at 14:01 on May 7th, 2009

I like to think it isn't a fake at all.

René

at 05:59 on May 8th, 2009

Some of the experts on this forum agree. not a fake. Stierlin's claim not substantiated, no evidence, hearsay, refuted by the discoverer's diary. His book, in French, maybe one of our members can translate.

TonyB (not verified)

at 11:12 on May 9th, 2009

It’s a fake! Come on people! If you would look at the wall painting of Nefertiti, this looks nothing like this bust, nothing like it! I do believe that this was attempt to whitewash Egypt history, sorry but it becoming very apparent that, that what it might have been, a Whitewash.

Missy5464 (not verified)

at 15:12 on May 9th, 2009

It's not been proven to be a fake! This guy claiming this is obviously looking for his 15 minutes of fame! And the bust does look like many of nefetitis statues! And not all pictures of Egyptians on the walls look like their statues!

Fnominl (not verified)

at 06:19 on May 15th, 2009

If you look at bust of Nef actually sculpted as commissioned by her, you would clearly see that this 'Bust of Berlin' IS NOT' the Nef! (study)

TonyB (not verified)

at 17:23 on May 18th, 2009

Thank you Fnominl! It is unbelieveable, sometimes I think that some people have goes thought the looking glass! Why, oh why is it some hard to believe that Nefertiti could be a woman of color? and that she might not have look nothing like that fake bust that was found in some German guy's basement after so many years. And why did he keep is so long,without reporting it? And by the way, who is this?

Portrait of Nefertiti
The Cleveland Museum of Art Look I'm not here to leave hurt feeling, but come on, we have to wake from our slumper sooner or later..