Justinian II and Carmagnola: a Byzantine rhinoplasty?

Plast Reconstr Surg. 1979 Jan;63(1):19-25. doi: 10.1097/00006534-197901000-00004.

Abstract

The Carmagnola statue, although undoubtedly a Byzantine Emperor, still holds its secret as to who it actually represents, and how his nose got that way. Our tentative conclusions concerning the possibility of Justinian's Indian nasal reconstruction only raise other questions. If Justinian Rhinometos did have a nasal reconstruction, how was the knowledge of the technique transmitted from northern India to the Byzantine Empire by the end of the 7th century? And if Justinian did have his "rhinokopia" surgically corrected, would this represent the first case of nasal reconstruction in the western world, 900 years before the triumphs of Tagliacozzi?

Publication types

  • Biography
  • Historical Article

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Amputation, Traumatic
  • Art / history*
  • Gold
  • History, 15th Century
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, Medieval
  • Humans
  • India
  • Italy
  • Male
  • Nose Deformities, Acquired / history*
  • Prostheses and Implants / history*
  • Rhinoplasty / history*
  • Rhinoplasty / methods
  • Sculpture / history*

Substances

  • Gold

Personal name as subject

  • I I Justinian
  • None Carmagnola