Fragments; l: horse attributed to ca. 7000 BCE; r:
tombstone of al-Ghaliya 9th century CE
humans, haunting gold masks, and bronze statuettes of
Roman gods testify to Arabia's rich and complex history
before the coming of Islam. "
Roads of Arabia tells a 7,000 year tale of art and civilization,
but perhaps the most surprising strain of this history is
that of foreign influence spurred by the trade in incense,
myrrh and spices for which Arabia was a conduit. A major
stop on the caravan route in the last four centuries B.C.
was Tayma, in northwest Saudia Arabia, and close to it
is the site of Dedan, where Lihyanite rulers built a temple
with a remarkable avenue leading up to it, of monumental
standing figures. In these the influence of Egypt is visible;
the statue of a man shown here, from the 4th to 3rd century
BC is strangely reminiscent of archaic Greek sculpture
which also drew upon Egypt.
HYLAND
