Researchers applaud Yemeni civilization and heritage [Archives:2007/1041/Reportage]

By: Moneer Al-Omari
In collaboration with Sana'a University and Aden University, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research organized the 16th International Conference on Yemeni Civilization and the 11th Sabean Forum April 3-5 in Aden.

Involving more than 100 researchers and scientists from across the globe, together with another 60 from Yemeni universities, the conference focused on two important aspects: Yemeni inscriptions and monuments, and ancient Yemeni civilizations and history over various time periods.

The conference was important because it sought to shed new light on, as well as add new research and documents to the Yemeni library regarding its civilization and monuments, together with Aden's history under states such as the Rasuli, Ottoman and Ayyubi reign.

Consultative Council Chairman Abdulaziz Abdulghani expressed his pleasure at holding the conference in Aden and the huge attendance of researchers, scientists and others interested in Yemeni civilization.

“Yemen takes pride in this huge event and the interest you have displayed in studying and researching Yemeni history and civilization,” Abdulghani noted.

In his speech, Aden Governor Ahmed Al-Kuhlani recounted Aden's history, mentioning the various names and titles bestowed upon the city. He also asserted the importance of researching and discovering the past because “the one with no past has no future.”

Al-Kuhlani stressed the importance of having a specialized institute to reread Yemen's cultural and archeological heritage in order to help reform its future. Additionally, he affirmed that conference recommendations will be taken into account.

During the event's launch, Aden University Rector Abdulwahab Raweh assured the conference's importance, as a large number of research and working papers were to be discussed, with some new papers being presented for the first time.

Reem Abdulghani, specialized in clay building, presented a paper on the uniqueness and innovation of Hadrami architecture, especially the clay buildings in Tarim.

“My interest in clay architecture stems from international interest in this material, as it's cheap and easy to obtain. Further, it requires no foreign experts. Yemeni clay architecture is indicative of the genius of Yemenis, who managed to produce beautiful palaces and skyscrapers of clay,” Abdulghani noted.

Sultan Qaboos University lecturer Asmhan Al-Jiru presented a paper on Yemeni-Omani relations between the first and sixth centuries. Depending upon classical sources and inscriptions to highlight the nature of such relations between the two during that time, she pointed out that Yemen and Oman have been linked socially, culturally and politically since the Iron Age. Al-Jiru added that the conference was a great success, thanks to the efforts of its organizers.

Abdulrahman Al-Ansari's paper, a Saudi historian and researcher, dealt with Al-Faw village located in the Empty Quarter (the Rub Al-Khali) somewhere between Najd and Najran. The village was at the crossroads of trade.

Al-Ansari demanded concerned Yemeni authorities revise and republish the Sabean Lexicon in order to include recent discoveries. He also requested establishing a specialized faculty for underwater studies at Aden University to search for treasures beneath the sea, which will add new information to current knowledge.

For his part, Mohammed Sa'eed Al-Qahtani, dean of Arts and Education Faculty affiliated with Sana'a University, noted that while the conference preparations were good, the time was short. He added that it would have been better if organizers had confined themselves to samples from each age; thus, good papers could be presented, while others could be published in a book or volume about the conference.

Speaking about the conference, which touched upon numerous aspects of Yemeni history, Aviva Klein-Franke of the University of Cologne in Germany asserted that the event was a great success. She said it was beneficial for young Yemeni researchers and students because it would help them decide about routes to follow, together with learning something about research methodology.

Klein-Franke also noted that she was happy the conference afforded her the chance to meet scientists and researchers from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Russia, India and several other countries, adding that she was happiest to meet Yousef Mohammed Abdullah and Yemeni historian, Judge Ismail Al-Akw'a. Being interested in Yemen's Jewish community, she presented a paper about the situation of Jews under Imam Yahya.

Al-Qahtani maintained that there should be sufficient time for participants to comment and ask questions about the papers presented. He also welcomed a suggestion by Al-Ansari regarding collecting all master's and doctoral research papers for inclusion in a published encyclopedia.

In his paper, Saleh Al-Burih, chairman of the Monuments Department in Najran, spoke about the ditch monuments and the burning of Christians by Himyarite King Yousef Dhi Nawas on Nov. 23, 523 A.D. His paper revealed the latest discoveries by an archeological exploration that lasted four years.

Dr. Suhail Sabat of King Saud University presented a research paper on Yemenis exiled to Rudus (Rhodes) Island in 1891 by the Ottomans, tracking their stories from the Ottoman archive.

Civil engineer Salma Damlogi, whose paper addressed Al-Hajreen city, hoped that more engineers will attend the conference to speak about the history of clay architecture in Yemen. She pointed out that modern engineers work on designs and planning, while forgetting about Yemen's clay building art. She added that such type of buildings reflect its people's understanding and awareness.

Mohammed Hamdi's paper addressed sectarian and political relations between Egypt and Yemen in the light of Yemeni coins during the period 1047 to 1220 A.D.

Considered an eternal human legacy, conference participants recommended every effort be made at all levels to preserve Yemeni heritage and ancient monumental sites in various parts of Yemen, maintaining that this can't be achieved without the collaboration of both public and official efforts, together with national and international support, to preserve such a rich heritage.

Participants also recommended maintaining archeological sites across Yemen, as well as sternly implementing the Monument Protection Law in order to halt aggressors from randomly raiding archeological sites and damaging ancient Yemeni history.

They also highlighted the importance of maintaining and restoring Yemen's historical cities, appreciating efforts exerted to retain Yemen's original building style, especially in cities like Sana'a, Shibam Hadramout and Zabid, which are listed among World Heritage cities.

Further, attendees recommended announcing archeological sites in Al-Jawf, Marib and Shabwa governorates as protected heritage reserves and gardens, whose sites should be preserved. They also demanded the Yemeni government exert more financial, administrative and legislative efforts to assist ongoing Arab and international efforts to explore monuments in a scientific manner and preserve civil cultural heritage.

Including a department for maritime archeology, conference participants demanded establishing a faculty for sea science at Aden University, together with a center for Red Sea studies, in collaboration with those nations overlooking the Red Sea.

They also called for urging Yemeni and Arab universities' departments as well as engineering and planning faculties to participate in upcoming conferences in order to help study ancient Arab building methods and discover the genius and intelligence of ancient Arab engineers.

Furthermore, they demanded preparing an Arab encyclopedia of ancient Arab inscriptions, such as Al-Musnad, and requested Aden University revise, update and republish the Sabean Lexicon and form a committee to that end.

Finally, participants requested concerned authorities both inside and outside of Yemen to crack down on monument and manuscript smuggling gangs, as well as work on restoring those monuments and manuscripts that were illegally transported outside the country.

Thus far, six conferences have been held on ancient Yemeni civilization. The first and second were in Sana'a in 1975 and 1981, in addition to the fifth on Sept. 4-6, 2006. The third and fourth conferences were held in Aden in 1989 and 1998.
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