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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.
Standing erect with her arms bent at the elbows
and her hand held outwards, this bronze figure
likely served as a votive offering left at an ancient
temple as a gift for the gods. It is also possible
that this figure may have been placed within a
household shine and used during intimate
personal rituals. Her long hair flows over her
shoulders down towards her tapering waist. She
wears a long skirt that features a line of
inscription along the lower hem, just above her
ankles. With almond-shaped eyes, she gazes
upon us just as she once gazed upon the
ancients for whom she was created.
- (CK.0078)
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