Yemeni researcher and antiquities specialist Abdullah Mohsen has revealed the presence of a rare artifact currently on display at an archaeological center in Jaffa: a marble head of a woman dating back to the 1st century BC. The piece measures 8.3 cm in height and features an elegant wavy hairstyle parted in the middle. While the eyes are missing, traces of the black material once used to fix them remain. The nose is damaged but otherwise well-preserved, according to the auction house.
What stood out, Mohsen noted, was the absence of any information about the artifact’s provenance or its last known owner, unlike other displayed pieces whose origins were clearly identified. He recalled a striking resemblance to a youthful marble head once described by Yemen’s Antiquities Authority chief, Ahmed Bataiyah, as “a beautifully featured boy with long braided hair parted in the middle.” The similarity, he added, extends even to the damage on the nose, comparable to statues such as that of Yada‘il Dharih, King of Awsan, and other Qatabanian sculptures.
Mohsen emphasized the difficulty of pinpointing the artifact’s exact origin, especially given the widespread practice of concealing provenance in international auctions. Some archaeologists believe the head may be Yemeni, while others suggest links to the civilizations of Hatra or Palmyra. He called for greater exposure and scholarly debate around the piece in hopes of uncovering clearer evidence of its roots.
