They performed a CAT scan on that famous bust of Nefertiti and found a different face underneath:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090331/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_nefertiti_face
Granted, if you read it carefully, it’s not THAt different. Heck, I didn’t even realize that the bust was really stucco over a stone core.
Speculation: The Amarna period was known for its devotion to naturalistic art, as opposed to the usual Egyptian idealism. Maybe the stone face underneath – with its wrinkles and nosr bump – is Nefertiti’s REAL face, and the gesso artist was either not skilled enough, or too much of a traditionalist, and just covered it up?
