"Faceless Colossi" and "Khaemwaset", 1

While thinking about what to write for my daily assignment today, I read a Facebook message from someone who is following this blow, in which she expressed interest in learning why the blog is called "Faceless Colossi" and why I picked the nickname Khaemwaset. (Ah, sir, if you read this, check out facelesscolossi.blogspot.com)

Now now. As some of my readers may know, I have a rather extensive interest in ancient societies: Their respective cultures, histories, artistic creations are all sources of true wonder to me. In my poems, for instance, I really like referencing ancient events(biblical, folk or legendary, doesn't really matter) and people(kings, heroes, prophets..). The name Khaemwaset is such a reference. "Colossi", as you most probably understood, is the plural of the word "Colossus", gigantic human statues built by Ancient Egyptians. (The Colossus of Rhodes, sadly, almost certainly never existed.My apologies, Greece.) I will explain why I added the adjective "Faceless" shortly; but all things in good order. Let's go.

I've always had an irrational fascination with the concept of a colossus. A huge, potentially everlasting statue of the "vigilant man" is almost a defiance of Time which will claim us all; but more importantly, it is a gigantic lament to the undeniable, undefiable human mortality. Depicting the mortal man so very hugely, it is almost like the Egyptians wanted to prove that though generations of men and women will come and go, the Human Being will always remain on Earth.

Another thing I want to point out is that most Egyptian colossi are erected near temples and other sacred areas, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing; but always calm, commanding and very protective. I cannot help but think what they were intended to protect, to safekeep. Which one of us can know what secrets have been discovered by, and lost after the departure of the makers of the colossi? So maybe the colossi did really succeed in their duty.

But the sands of time and of the desert reclaimed the faces of most of the colossi: They have no eyes, no noses, no mouths, no wrinkles, no sneers, no smiles... It makes me wonder what each colossal face looked like.

I think the facelessness of the colossi take them away from being just simply huge respresentations of some specific people but enhance their symbolism of Man and its tenacity and longevity in general. Each one of our faces can be put in a colossus' body, each of us stand vigilant and proud and protect mysteries of some sorts in our own right.

But in the end, time and the desert will erase all our faces. The body, though, will remain, with its mighty posture and timeless presence.

All our ancestors are Faceless Colossi. We shall all become; and actually are in the process of becoming, Faceless Colossi as well.

Hence the name Faceless Colossi. It wasn't really aimed to be exotic, intellectually ambiguous or riddling at all. The name was meant to reflect..us.




PS: I pretty much filled three notebook pages now, so I will tell you of Khaemwaset in a future entry, most probably in the next one. Down below are some links to Egyptian colossi photos.

http://uk.memphistours.com/Egypt/files/large/120498125_Colossi%20of%20Memnon,%20Luxor,%20Egypt.jpg

http://www.myartprints.com/kunst/egyptian/colossi_memnon_statues_amenho_hi.jpg

(Both belong to the twin colossi of Memnon, there aren't too many colossi left, frankly.)

http://www.oceanlight.com/stock-photo/ramesseum-image-02586-607539.jpg

("Headless" colossi. ^^ )