CSAI

Corpus of South Arabian Inscriptions


By kind permission of GOAM

DEPOSIT INFORMATION

DepositAden, The National Museum, NAM 609

SUPPORT INFORMATION

Support typeArtefact » Sculpture in the round » Human figure
MaterialAlabaster
Measuresh. 79.5, w. 22, th. 19
Decoration
Figurative subjectHuman figure
      GenderMan
      Part of human bodyComplete figure
      Human gestureStanding, Arms stretching out
      Human clothes and attributesToga, Sandals
      Human jewelleryBracelet
Notes on support and decorationsStatue of Awsanite king wearing a pleated tunic and a draped cloak, sandals with high sole and a thong between the second and third toe. On the head a circular cap or crown. Body well moulded with rounded shoulders and robust arms; facial features well characterized with oval regular face, long wavy curly hair with central parting, large flapping ears, large turned down eyes made with inlays (only the left one preserved), straight nose, small fleshy mouth, moustache and beard realized with blackened dots. In the space between the legs the stone is not cut. The holes on both the closed hands suggest that the king held something. Back well refined with very careful moulding and details of the pleated tunic, cloak and hair, with three large curly locks. Inscription filled with black colour. CIAS gives different measures of the object: h. 70, w. 28, th. 19.

ORIGIN AND PROVENANCE

Origin
Modern siteUnknown
Ancient siteUnknown
Geographical areawādī Markha
CountryYemen
Link to site record

CULTURAL NOTES

Next to the Greek-Roman fashion of the regal dress, the statue shows a very careful moulding and, especially, a different conception of the full relief sculpture, which - according to the Hellenistic style - was thought for a view from every side. Pirenne: "C'est Palmyre qui nous fournit le plus sûr repère de datation de cette mode (= the Hellenistic style) ... La moustache est une mode que nous voyons répandue exactement là où l'on voit la mode hellénistique dans le costume, en même temps que la mode iranienne: à Palmyre, au pays parthe, au Gandhara".
Only the realisation of the legs (tied to the stone slab and not in full relief) betrays in the statue a South Arabian manufacture.

EPIGRAPHS

TitleCIAS F 58/s 4/49.10 n° 3
ConcordanceRES 3888; Q 87; C 57; CSAI III, 14
LanguageAncient South Arabian » Qatabanic » Awsanite
Link to epigraph record