Yemeni Researcher Confirms Plundering of Yemeni Archaeological Artifact Dating Back 2800 Years

Yemeni archaeology expert has shed light on smuggling a rare archaeological artifact, dating back over 2800 years, from Yemen to Europe. This artifact was later examined in France and sold in Spain. Additionally, another piece from Hadramout province was transported to a British museum.

Abdullah Mohsen revealed in a post on his personal Facebook page on Saturday that the smuggled historical artifact to Europe is a “rare funerary artifact made of terracotta dating back 2800 years.” He elaborated that the looted Yemeni piece exhibited thermal luminescence, confirming the authenticity of the clay, and its last firing occurred between 2100 and 2800 years ago, indicating its origin in Yemen between the seventh and sixth centuries BCE.

The Yemeni researcher disclosed that the archaeological piece was sold in France to a private English group. Subsequently, it was showcased at the Autumn Antiquities Auction in 2017 in Spain by GB Archaeology Ancient Art, accompanied by an authenticity certificate issued by the Spanish Ministry of Culture. Recently, it was sold at the Ars Historica auction in Spain.

This occurs at a time when Yemen’s historical and rare artifacts face theft, looting, and smuggling abroad since the onset of the US-Saudi-Emirati aggression. Reports tracking stolen and smuggled Yemeni artifacts reveal that approximately 4,265 Yemeni archaeological pieces were sold in 16 global auctions in the US, Europe, and Israel, held by renowned auction halls in six Western countries, from 1991 to 2022.

In recent years, Yemeni artifacts sold in international auctions have totaled 2,610 pieces, with 2,167 pieces in the United States alone, surpassing a value of $12 million. Additionally, 1,384 pieces of smuggled and stolen Yemeni artifacts are still on display in seven international museums.