Current Issues in Archeology: South Arabia: Landscapes, Kingdoms, and Connectivity in Ancient Yemen

Sarah Japp (Orient-Abteilung des DAI)

Arabia Felix was the name ancient authors gave to the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula, corresponding to present-day Yemen. As early as the first millennium BCE, remarkable cultures emerged there, including the legendary kingdom of Saba. Its inhabitants skillfully managed the scarce resource of water and controlled the lucrative trade in frankincense and myrrh, which reached the Mediterranean world via the famous Incense Route. This combination of technological ingenuity and economic foresight brought great prosperity to the South Arabian kingdoms, still visible today in impressive temple complexes and city fortifications. Archaeological research in South Arabia remains in its early stages and is further constrained by current political conditions. All the more important, therefore, is the effort to ensure that South Arabia does not become a forgotten Arabia.