NYN | News
Spanish police have launched a comprehensive investigation in recent hours after two rare Yemeni antiquities were put up for auction in Barcelona.
This move follows revelations made by Yemeni archaeology expert Abdullah Mohsen, who exposed the incident in a July 2025 post. He pointed out that the two items were listed in the “Grand Summer Auction of Fine Arts, Antiquities, and Royal Jewelry,” organized by Templum Auction House on July 30.
According to a recent Facebook post by Mohsen, the first artifact is a tombstone from the ancient Qataban Kingdom of Yemen, dating back to between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE. The piece features a prominently carved bull’s head in the center, symbolizing strength and vigilance in that era, along with an inscription in the ancient Musnad script.
The second item is a rare funerary stele made of alabaster, from roughly the same period. It bears an inscription in Old South Arabian and features a carved human figure, making it a unique example of votive and funerary art from ancient Yemeni civilizations.
For years, Yemeni antiquities have been subjected to systematic smuggling and illicit exploitation, posing a serious threat to the country’s cultural and historical heritage and demanding urgent local and international action to protect it.
