Fathom Logo

Learning PlanSessionsContributors
 Spices, Gold and Precious Stones: The South Arabian Spice Trade
 Alexandra Porter
Seminar Introduction
[jewellery]
The British Museum
According to the Bible, the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon in Jerusalem with a great camel caravan laden with gifts of "spices, and very much gold, and precious stones" (I Kings 10:2). She is thought to have come from Saba', the most powerful of the South Arabian caravan kingdoms, which was located in present-day Yemen. Although there is no archaeological evidence to prove the existence of the Queen of Sheba, calcite-alabaster statues, limestone funerary stelae, gold jewellery and bronze inscriptions tell of the rich civilization that was Saba'. The "spices" the Bible lists as part of the queen's cargo probably included incense, namely frankincense and myrrh, which were ancient South Arabia's main exports and were in great demand throughout the Near East and the Mediterranean.

In this seminar, Alexandra Porter, assistant curator for the "Queen of Sheba: Treasures from Ancient Yemen" exhibition at the British Museum (June 9 through October 13, 2002), provides an introduction to the archaeology of the South Arabian caravan kingdoms, which can be explored using an interactive map of Ancient Yemen. She discusses the beginnings of the spice trade using evidence from Biblical and Assyrian sources as well as what classical authors reveal about the overland and maritime trade. Porter concludes with a more detailed description of some of the spices and other precious commodities that may have been exported from South Arabia.
Learning Objectives
  • Compare and contrast the stories of the Queen of Sheba in the Bible and the Qu'ran. What evidence is there for the existence of the Queen of Sheba?
  • Name the caravan kingdoms of Ancient South Arabia and their capitals. What have archaeologists uncovered at these sites?
  • What ancient structures have been associated with the Queen of Sheba?
  • List the commodities that were traded by the South Arabians. Why was incense so precious?
  • List the medicinal uses for at least two spices in ancient South Arabia.
Sessions

Session 1 The South Arabian Caravan Kingdoms
Session 2 The Beginning of the South Arabian Caravan Trade: The Biblical and Assyrian Sources
Session 3 Frankincense and Myrrh
Session 4 Spices, Gold and Precious Stones
Contributors


Credits


Technical Requirements
To appreciate this seminar experience, it is critical that you have the appropriate software, plug-ins, and network connections.  Please take the time to download the latest versions of the plug-ins mentioned below if you do not already have them.
Browser: Netscape versions 4.x up to 4.76, or Internet Explorer versions 4.x or later. Your browser must be JavaScript-enabled and must be set to accept cookies.

Network Connection: The recommended minimum connection is 56Kbps with a throughput of 34Kbps or more. A faster connection is encouraged to take better advantage of the media elements in the seminar.
Plug-ins: If you do not have RealPlayer and Flash Player already installed, please download them from the following sites: