Editing Ancient art (section)

=== Arabian ===
{{main|Pre-Islamic Arabia#Art|Ancient South Arabian art}}
[[File:British Museum Yemen 07.jpg|thumb|Pre-Islamic Arabian art in the [[British Museum]] (London)]]
The art of [[Pre-Islamic Arabia]] is related to that of neighbouring cultures. Pre-Islamic [[Yemen]] produced stylized [[alabaster]] heads of great aesthetic and historic charm. Most of the pre-Islamic sculptures are made of [[alabaster]].

[[Archaeology]] has revealed some early settled civilizations in [[Saudi Arabia]]: the [[Dilmun]] civilization on the east of the Arabian Peninsula, [[Thamud]] north of the [[Hejaz]], and [[Kingdom of Kinda|Kinda]] and [[Al-Magar]] civilization in the central of Arabian Peninsula.
The earliest known events in Arabian history are migrations from the peninsula into neighbouring areas.<ref>Philip Khuri Hitti (2002), History of the Arabs, Revised: 10th Edition</ref> In antiquity, the role of [[South Arabia]]n societies such as Saba ([[Sheba]]) in the production and trade of aromatics not only brought such kingdoms wealth but also tied the [[Arabian Peninsula]] into trade networks, resulting in far-ranging artistic influences.

It seems probable that before around 4000 BC the Arabian climate was somewhat wetter that today, benefitting from a monsoon system that has since moved south.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}} During the late fourth millennium BC permanent settlements began to appear, and inhabitants adjusted to the emerging dryer conditions. In southwestern Arabia (modern [[Yemen]]) a moister climate supported several kingdoms during the second and first millennia BC. The most famous of these is [[Sheba]], the kingdom of the biblical [[Queen of Sheba]]. These societies used a combination of trade in spices and the natural resources of the region, including aromatics such as frankincense and myrrh, to build wealthy kingdoms. [[Ma'rib#Ancient|Mārib]], the [[Sabaeans|Sabaean]] capital, was well positioned to tap into Mediterranean as well as Near Eastern trade, and in kingdoms to the east, in what is today [[Oman]], trading links with [[Mesopotamia]], [[Persia]], and even India were possible. The area was never a part of the [[Assyria]]n or [[Persian empire]]s, and even [[Babylon]]ian control of north-west Arabia seems to have been relatively short-lived. Later Roman attempts to control the region's lucrative trade were foundered. This impenetrability to foreign armies doubtless augmented ancient rulers' bargaining power in the spice and incense trade.

Although subject to external influences, south Arabia retained characteristics particular to itself. The human figure is typically based on strong, square shapes, the fine modeling of detail contrasting with a stylized simplicity of form.

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Anthropomorphic stele at National Museum of Korea 02.jpg|Stele of a male wearing a [[baldric]]; 4th millennium BC; sandstone; height: 92&nbsp;cm; from [[Al-'Ula]] ([[Saudi Arabia]]); in a temporary exhibition in the [[National Museum of Korea]] ([[Seoul]]), named Roads of Arabia: Archaeological Treasures of Saudi Arabia

Standing female figure wearing a strap and a necklace MET DT868.jpg|Standing female figure wearing a strap and a necklace; 3rd–2nd millennium BC; [[sandstone]] and [[quartzite]]; height: 27.5&nbsp;cm, width: 14.3&nbsp;cm, depth: 14.3&nbsp;cm; from [[Mareb]] ([[Yemen]]); [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] (New York City)

Incense burner MET DT893.jpg|Incense burner; mid-1st millennium BC; bronze; height: 27.6&nbsp;cm, width: 23.7&nbsp;cm; depth: 23.3&nbsp;cm; from Southwestern Arabia; Metropolitan Museum of Art

Alabaster head Louvre AO4746.jpg|South Arabian head; 300-1 BC; alabaster; height: 20.5&nbsp;cm, length: 11&nbsp;cm, depth: 8.5&nbsp;cm; [[Louvre]]

Griffon hadhramaut.jpg|Decorated capital of a pillar from the royal palace of [[Shabwa]]; stratigraphic context: first half of the 3rd century BC; [[National Museum of Yemen, Aden|National Museum of Yemen]] ([[Aden]])

Stele Iglum Louvre AO1029.jpg|Funerary stele; 1st-3rd centuries AD; alabaster; height: 55&nbsp;cm, width: 29&nbsp;cm, depth: 8&nbsp;cm; Louvre

Perfume-burner ibex Louvre DAO19.jpg|Perfume-burner with an ibex; 1st–3rd century AD; limestone; from [[Yemen]]; height: 30&nbsp;cm, width: 24&nbsp;cm, depth: 24&nbsp;cm; Louvre

Stele funeraria figurativa, tardo periodo di tylos, bahrain, II-III secolo circa.JPG|Bahraini figurative funerary stele; about 2nd-3rd century; the Bahrain pavilion of [[Expo 2015]] ([[Milan]], Italy)
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