Archaeological Wonders in Yemen

Yemeni City of Shibam

In a story that closely mirrors the myth of England's Stonehenge, archaeologist Nadia Durrani describes peculiar and largely unexpected stone monoliths which pepper the Tihamah Plain in Yemen.  Though it is not tied to the Arab Spring, the Current World Archaeology article ponders why the stone spires were placed there, and moreover, how, especially since there is no immediate and consistent source of stone in the coastal plain.

I also included a picture of Shibam, which we discussed in class.  It turned me onto what wonders there are in Yemen, which is usually discussed in the context of growing terrorist activities and recent uprisings.  Yemen has an incredibly valuable resource in these ancient establishments, and the Yemeni government could do well to secure them, and increase marketing and travel to them.  The images of Shibam are probably some of the most magnificent architectural undertakings I have seen, and I cannot imagine how or why the Yemeni government would not capitalize on them.