Limestone stele, ca. 3rd - 1st century BC · Arabian Peninsula - Yemen · ID: 3052785
Henry Cherrick, Los Angeles, USA (2009)
Description
base
Rectangular limestone stela carved in high relief with a stylized human face. The almond-shaped eyes, prominent nose and small, slightly modelled mouth are characteristic of funerary monuments from the ancient kingdom of Qataban. Below the face, an incised panel bears four characters in the Qatabanic script, probably recording the name of the deceased. Traces of red pigment suggest that the surface was originally painted. Such stelae were placed in tomb façades or niches and served as memorials evoking the continued presence of the dead.
The kingdom of Qataban rose to prominence in the second half of the first millennium BC, when it controlled the lucrative trade in frankincense and myrrh - aromatic resins essential for religious rituals across the ancient Near East.
The object Limestone stele, ca. 3rd - 1st century BC with the object ID 3052785 was part of the auction Auction 106 on April 25, 2026, lot number 119 at that time and is currently available for EUR 8,000 in Open sale.
Notices
This object is subject to the Cultural Heritage Protection Act. Export documents are required for export (subjected to a fee).