Latest news with #AbdullahMohsen
Yemen Online
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yemen Online
Rare Yemeni Funerary Artifact to Be Auctioned in Barcelona on July 30
A rare funerary relief from ancient Yemen is set to go under the hammer at an international art auction in Barcelona on July 30, raising concerns among heritage experts and cultural activists. The piece is part of the Summer Fine Art Auction hosted by Templum Auction House, and comes from a private European collection. Alongside contemporary art and jewelry, the sale includes a number of historical antiquities, prompting renewed scrutiny over the provenance and legal status of Middle Eastern artifacts on the international market. Yemeni historian Abdullah Mohsen criticized the auction publicly, questioning the ethical standards surrounding the sale of cultural heritage from conflict zones. 'This is yet another example of Yemen's looted history being casually traded abroad,' he wrote on social media. The artifact's sale occurs amid growing calls to implement stricter international protocols on the trafficking and resale of cultural property originating from countries experiencing armed conflict and political instability.
Yemen Online
16-07-2025
- Business
- Yemen Online
Rare Yemeni Cylinder Seal Displayed and Sold at US
A rare Yemeni cylinder seal, believed to date back to the first century BC, was recently showcased and sold at a prominent art auction in New York City, drawing attention from archaeologists and cultural heritage advocates. The artifact, made of electrum gold and engraved with Musnad inscriptions, was part of a private collection acquired by Fortuna Fine Arts Ltd.. According to Yemeni antiquities expert Abdullah Mohsen, the seal features an octagonal design, capped ends, and a hanging hole, making it a unique example of ancient South Arabian craftsmanship. The sale has reignited debate over the smuggling and commercialization of Yemeni antiquities, especially amid ongoing conflict and weak enforcement of cultural protection laws. Reports indicate that thousands of Yemeni artifacts have been trafficked and sold in Western countries over the past decade, with many ending up in museums and private collections. Yemeni authorities and international organizations have called for stronger measures to halt illicit antiquities trade, urging the repatriation of stolen cultural items and the preservation of Yemen's rich archaeological legacy.
Yemen Online
25-06-2025
- General
- Yemen Online
Rare Yemeni Artifact to Be Auctioned in Spain
A rare piece of Yemen's ancient heritage is set to go under the hammer this Thursday at a prestigious international art auction in Barcelona, Spain, drawing concern from cultural preservation advocates and historians. The artifact, a funerary stele from the ancient Qataban civilization, dates back to between the 1st century BCE and the 1st century CE. It features a prominent bull's head carved in high relief, symbolizing strength and fertility in ancient South Arabian culture. The piece also bears an inscription in Musnad script, though experts have noted irregularities in the text that raise questions about its authenticity or possible restoration. The stele is part of a private European collection and will be featured in the summer auction hosted by Templum Fine Arts, which includes a wide array of antiquities, jewelry, and contemporary artworks. The auction has sparked criticism from Yemeni researchers and activists, who argue that the artifact may have been illegally smuggled out of Yemen, and are calling for its repatriation. Yemeni heritage expert Abdullah Mohsen commented on the sale with sharp irony, lamenting the contrast between the bull's symbolic power and what he described as the 'lazy bulls' of today's institutions failing to protect national treasures.
Yemen Press Agency
01-05-2025
- General
- Yemen Press Agency
Yemeni statue to be auctioned in 'Tel Aviv' next Wednesday
SANAA, April 13 (YPA) – The researcher Abdullah Mohsen, who specializes in tracking and protecting Yemeni antiquities, has revealed that an ancient Yemeni statue will be auctioned in the occupied city of Jaffa, now known as 'Tel Aviv,' next Wednesday. Mohsen stated in a post on the X platform on Sunday that a small bronze statue of a Yemeni sphinx will be offered for sale in Tel Aviv. He explained that the statue comes from the collection of Jewish antiquities collector and jeweler Shlomo Moussaieff, who lived between 1925 and 2015. It is worth noting that Moussaieff, who was born in Jerusalem (Quds) and moved to Britain in 1963, spoke Arabic and collected more than 60,000 artifacts during his lifetime, including hundreds of Yemeni antiquities.
