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The ancient kingdom of Saba ruled over the
lands of southern Arabia, centered in modern
day Yemen. Saba is perhaps better known as
Sheba, the Hebrew word for the kingdom, whose
famous Queen was recounted as having visited
Solomon in the pages of the Old Testament.
Biblical accounts speak of the wealth of this
ancient civilization of traders and merchants, and
modern archaeological excavations confirm these
reports. Ruins of fortresses and walled towns are
evident and remnants of their extensive irrigation
system that turned the desert into a paradise
still cover the land. Although gold and silver
deposits were present, the chief source of their
vast wealth was derived from their veritable
monopoly of two of the most coveted materials
in ancient times: frankincense and myrrh,
resinous gums obtained from certain trees that
only grow in Southern Arabia and were literally
worth their weight in gold. There was not a
temple or wealthy house in the ancient world,
from Babylon to Rome, where one would not
smell the fragrant scents of these incenses. In
addition, a trade route that connected India to
Egypt that passed through their capital of Marib
was another major source of wealth. Perhaps
their greatest accomplishment was the Great
Dam of Marib, a monumental construction that
brought water from the mountains both to the
city and to the crop fields. The dam was in
continual use (accounting for timely repairs) until
the 6th Century A.D. and its ultimate destruction
is detailed in the Koran as the end of the old
world and a turning point in history. However,
the civilization that created this wonder fell apart
long before the damn did. In the 1st Century
A.D., the Ptolemaic Greeks discovered a sea
route from India directly to the port of
Alexandria, eliminating Saba from this lucrative
trade and ushering in the decline of Sabean
prosperity.
This magnificent stone bust of a young man is
but one example of the magnificence of Sabean
art. He has large eyes that were likely once
inlaid with precious stones or glass in order to
heighten the sense of naturalism, a long nose,
and a small, slightly smiling mouth. The texture
of his hair has been indicated by finely incised
lines. Similar fine lines also indicate that he is
wearing a necklace or sorts. The naturalistic
rendering of the features betrays a Roman
influence present in South Arabia at the time.
- (X.0208)
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