The ancient Kingdom of Saba was located in
modern day Yemen. It is most famous as the
residing place of the Queen of Sheba who visited
King Solomon in the tenth century BC. Situated
on the crossroads between Asia and Africa, it
derived immense wealth from its trading
connections. Frankincense and myrrh were its
most important products, as the resins for these
spices only grow in eastern Yemen, southern
Oman and parts of Somalia. These precious
commodities were burnt on altars across the
Near East and the Mediterranean.
This stunning sculpture was used as a grave-
marker and belongs to a distinctive group of
South Arabian dedication plaques. It depicts the
bust of a woman in high relief against a
rectangular slab. Other examples of this type
have inscriptions along the base which often
name the deceased and/or the god to whom they
had a special devotion. The Sabeans were
polytheistic until the late 4th century AD. It is
likely that this piece also had a dedication which
is now lost. The woman is shown in a
characteristic pose with her right arm raised and
her left held across the chest just beneath her
ample breasts. Other surviving pieces depict the
woman holding a sheath of wheat in her left
hand, a symbol associated with fertility. It is
likely that the large breasts perform a similar
function here. She wears a high-neck short-
sleeve tunic. Only the hairline is depicted along
the top edge. The hair may have been lost or it
could have been added separately in plaster,
which was common on other funerary sculpture
from Yemen. The eyes and eyebrows may have
originally been highlighted with red or black
pigment.
Although the identity of the sitter has been lost,
the decision to commission a stone memorial is
indicative of her wealth and status. The sculpture
is a testament to the Sabaeans belief in an
afterlife as well as the need to venerate one’s
ancestors.
For a similar example see Simpson ed., 'Queen of
Sheba: Treasures From Ancient Yemen,' (2002),
pp. 200-201, fig. 282. (AM)
