NYN | News
Yemeni researcher Abdullah Mohsen has revealed the existence of a unique statue representing a prominent female figure from the ancient Kingdom of Qataban, dating back to the 3rd century BCE—around 2,300 years ago.
The statue, crafted from alabaster and bronze, stands out for its exquisite detail and exceptional beauty, drawing the attention of numerous international scholars.
According to the researcher, the statue left Yemen for France before 1970 and later made its way to Switzerland, where it was recently exhibited at the PAD London art fair held in Berkeley Square in October 2017.
This prestigious exhibition is one of Europe’s leading art events, founded in 2007 by French antiquities dealer Patrick Perrin.
According to the Phoenix Ancient Art Foundation, the statue is considered the most complete alabaster sculpture known to date, retaining its bronze hair and remarkably preserved jewelry.
The statue depicts a woman wearing a crown, necklace, and bracelets shaped like snakes. She stands firmly, her bare feet resting on a small base. The sculpture features finely detailed elements: shell-shaped, ornamented ears, carefully styled bronze hair, and inlaid eyes made from a dark material believed to be bitumen.
The statue’s features show deep carving and remarkable symmetry between facial and bodily elements, despite the short proportions characteristic of funerary art in southern Arabia during that era. It is believed the statue served as a likeness of the deceased, placed near tombs—highlighting the role of art in Qataban’s funerary beliefs and underscoring the royal status of women in ancient Yemeni civilization.
Yemeni antiquities continue to face systematic looting amid a striking international silence, with transcontinental smuggling networks seizing the country’s historical identity and turning it into rare collectibles displayed in private galleries around the world.
