Rare Yemeni antiquities up for auction in Germany, UK, US, Netherlands
SANAA, Dec. 10 (YPA) – A number of auction houses in Germany, Britain, the United States, the Netherlands, and other countries have announced auctions to sell a number of rare Yemeni antiquities this December.
Abdullah Mohsen, a researcher interested in tracking and monitoring antiquities smuggled from Yemen, said, “The exhibits varied between tombstones, architectural elements, statues, bronzes, ornaments, and jewelry.”
Many of the exhibits are a collection of antiquities from Yemen from Sheba, Himyar, Ma’in, and Qataban, Mohsen added.
Mohsen explained that this year witnessed an amazing diversity of Yemeni antiquities displayed in public and private auctions and antiques exhibitions in European countries, noting that the quantities of antiquities displayed in the local market also increased due to the increase in random digging and looting in a number of provinces, the most prominent of which are Jawf, Marib, Shabwa, and other provinces.
This occurs in light of the complete and shameful absence of the Ministries of Culture and Interior and law enforcement agencies in confronting and at least reducing this dangerous phenomenon.
Researcher Mohsen reviewed on his Facebook page examples of Yemeni antiquities offered for sale at auctions in the first half of this December.
Head of a statue of a young man from Qataban 
It is an alabaster portrait of a young man, 19 cm high, with a narrow face, long, deep-arched eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes with thick eyelids and deep pupils, a long triangular nose, small lips, and rather large ears. It will be sold at the Gurney & Mosch auction in Germany on December 11, 2024. It was previously acquired by a Swiss private collection on June 21, 2011.
Head of a statue of a young man from Sheba
“A stylized male head with a long, straight nose and wide eyes. The eyebrows are carved into long grooves, and the beard is marked by subtle distinctive marks. The head is carved. Height 16.2 cm, width 9.6 cm, depth 8.5 cm
It will be sold at the Gurney & Mosch auction in Germany on December 11, 2024. It is from the R.L. Belgium group, acquired from Gezelbach Gallery in 2014.
Head of a statue of a woman from Qataban
An alabaster portrait of a woman from the third century
BC, “with a beautiful neck, large sunken eyes ready to be set, furrowed eyebrows, and a long hairstyle.” Height: 20 cm. Sold at Sotheby’s Old Sculptures and Art Auction, London, December 3, 2024.
A memorial plaque for (Nabtaam the Sahl)
It has a slightly flared shape with a concave top and an integral base finely engraved on the front with a single line of South Arabic inscription referring to Nebtaam the Sahl. The painting is from Haid bin Aqeel. Acquired by Alistair J. Anderson (1927-2016), Scotland, while living in Aden from 1957 to 1960 and brought back to Britain in the late 1960s. Sold at Sotheby’s Old Sculptures and Art Auction, London, December 3, 2024.
Bronze-winged sphinx
“A wonderful bronze decoration in the shape of a sphinx facing to the left with one of its front paws raised. The mythical creature features a traditional lion’s body with an upward-curving wing and a female head presenting a perfect face with a hairstyle neatly arranged in a halo of braids. It is a stunning and mysterious artifact, embodying the fusion of Egyptian-inspired iconography with the distinctive artistic traditions of Yemen. It will be sold at the Artemis Fine Antiquities Auction on December 13, 2024, in Colorado, USA.
YPA