/lit/ - Literature

>>16943108
There is no canonical answer and there are lots of theories. (E.g., one side is the forgiving face of God and the other is the judging side.)

But the most likely answer is that it's probably just how they used to draw faces back then when they wanted 'realism'. See the Fayum portraits (picrelated), they're drawn in a similar style and also asymmetrical.

>>16943129
*Every* *single* surviving portrait of an ancient historical figure is also "from centuries after the supposed events".

If that is your standard, then you'd have to trash all portraits from Ancient Greece and Rome as well.