New York‘s Metropolitan Museum of Art is the latest institution to announce an agreement with Yemen to care for and display two of the country’s artefacts.
The Met is transferring ownership of two stone sculptures to Yemen, both dating from the third millennium BCE. However, the pieces will remain at the museum on loan and be prominently displayed until Yemen wants them to be returned.
The museum purchased the statue in 1998, while the mortar was a gift in 1999. Provenance research led by Met scholars has found that the works belong to Yemen.
“These compelling objects offer an important opportunity to present Yemeni culture – in dialogue with our collection of 5,000 years of art history – to The Met’s audiences,” said Max Hollein, the museum’s director.
“We are grateful to have established such a collegial and sincere commitment to spotlighting these important works and look forward to working with the large Yemeni-American community in New York City to host a celebration of our new collaboration later this fall.”
Mohammed Al-Hadhrami, the ambassador of Yemen to the US, said the country “is reclaiming ownership of its precious and priceless cultural heritage“.
“Due to the current situation in Yemen, it is not the appropriate time to return these artifacts back to our homeland,” he added.
Yemen gets ownership of cultural heritage
“We are pleased to have these objects remain on loan with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, one of the world’s most prominent and prestigious cultural institutions.”
Earlier this month, London’s V&A museum announced a similar agreement with Yemen to look after four ancient objects before they can be returned to the country.
This came after the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art partnered with the Yemeni government to display looted artefacts.
Images courtesy of The Met
