The ancient Egyptian bust currently displayed at the Field Museum in Chicago has caused quite a stir among visitors due to its astonishing resemblance to the late pop icon Michael Jackson. Carved from limestone, the piece dates back to the New Kingdom era (1550 BCE – 1050 BCE) and has become one of the museum’s most popular exhibits, attracting countless fans of the King of Pop.
The journey of this enigmatic artifact to Chicago began in 1889 when it was purchased by Chicago’s forest baron, Edward Ayers, in Cairo. It was later donated to the Field Museum in 1899, and since 1988, it has been displayed as part of the museum’s permanent exhibition, Ancient Egypt. Despite the absence of hieroglyphs on the bust, archaeologists have determined it was crafted during the reign of either King Ramses or King Tutankhamun.
For Michael Jackson fans, the statue has become a pilgrimage site, with some even asking about it before purchasing their tickets. Many visitors head straight to the exhibit as soon as they enter the museum, eager to see the supernatural likeness for themselves. While some fans may be tempted to touch or kiss the statue, such actions are strictly prohibited, and the bust is protected by a glass barrier.
The mystery of the missing nose has also sparked debates. While the bust strikingly resembles Michael Jackson, it is actually a 25 cm tall statue of a woman, with a width of 35 cm. The absence of the nose has been the subject of much discussion, with the museum curator explaining that «95% of Egyptian statues and busts were desecrated by early Christians and Muslims as they were used for idol worship. They saw them as idols, and cutting off the nose made them ‘inhuman.'»
Many visitors make a connection between the bust and Michael Jackson’s 1993 pop hit «Remember the Time.» The music video for the song is set in ancient Egypt, which adds an eerie coincidence to the bust’s uncanny resemblance.
While the true identity and purpose of the statue remain a mystery, its supernatural likeness to Michael Jackson continues to fascinate visitors and spark time travel theories. The ancient Egyptian bust at the Field Museum is a testament to the enduring power of both ancient art and modern pop culture icons.
