Yemen Monitor | Newsroom:
Yemeni antiquities expert Abdullah Mohsen has revealed that four rare Yemeni artifacts are set to be auctioned at the upcoming “Ancient Art” sale organized by the French auction house Placas on July 9, despite the lack of clear information on how the items left Yemen.
In a Facebook post, Mohsen stated that, according to the auction house, the artifacts were previously owned by a European collector who acquired them in the 1980s, and they were later inherited by the current owner. However, no documentation exists detailing their excavation sites or the circumstances of their smuggling.
The collection includes a rare alabaster statue believed to be a twin of a famous figure discovered in Wadi Bayhan in Yemen’s Shabwa Governorate, bearing striking resemblance to a statue housed at the National Museum of Asian Art under the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
It is believed the statue may have belonged to the American archaeological mission led by Wendell Phillips, raising questions about its origin and prompting calls for clarification from the relevant institutions.
The auction also features a female alabaster statue adorned with a gold earring, thought to date back to the 3rd century BCE. According to the auction catalog, it is inscribed in Musnad script and noted for its intricate facial features and clothing details.
Another item is a limestone funerary stele measuring 37 cm in height, depicting a human figure surrounded by animal symbols and geometric motifs that reflect ancient Yemeni funerary beliefs.
The fourth piece is a sculpted head of a man made of translucent alabaster, dating back to the 1st century BCE, distinguished by precise geometric features and visual symmetry characteristic of ancient Yemeni sculpture.
The sale of these artifacts has sparked widespread concern in archaeological circles regarding their true origins, especially amid the ongoing war and chaos in Yemen, and the continued lack of effective international mechanisms to recover looted Yemeni antiquities.
