Yemen : Yemeni Researcher Reveals Sale of 14 Rare Artifacts in London Auction

Aden — Yemeni antiquities researcher Abdullah Mohammed Mohsen has disclosed that 14 rare Yemeni artifacts are set to be auctioned by Apollo Art House in the British capital at the end of September and early October 2026.

Mohsen explained that the pieces span diverse historical eras, from the third millennium BCE to the centuries preceding the Common Era. The collection includes alabaster bull statues, human heads, funerary objects, stone vessels, bronzes, seal necklaces, and a gold ring engraved in Musnad script.

Among the highlights are a massive alabaster bull statue weighing more than 25 kilograms, a marble incense burner shaped like an ibex, a female figurine, two human heads, and a stone vessel dated by the auction house to between 2600 and 2000 BCE.

According to Mohsen, the auction organizers claim that some items were cross-checked against the Art Loss Register and accompanied by certificates or letters of authenticity. 

However, he stressed that absence from the database does not confirm the legality of their provenance or clarify the history of their ownership.

Mohsen urged Yemeni authorities to act swiftly to investigate the sources of the artifacts and pursue their recovery. He emphasized: “Rescuing even a single artifact and returning it to Yemen is more important than settling for media noise or holding conferences and workshops.”