[17 January 2008]

IBB, Jan. 17 (Saba) - Unknown persons devastated early morning on Thursday an ancient bronze coffin and stole another one completely were in an archaeological location in al-Asibia area in Dhefar valley of Ibb province.

The director general of Antiques and Cultural Properties Protection in the General Authority for Antiquities and Museums Hesham al-Thawr held the director general of the security office in the al-Saddah district responsible for destroying the location and disinterring the bronze coffin.

Al-Thawr said that the security official has ordered the military patrols, which have been guarding the area for five days, to leave the location mentioning no reasons for such action that gave those devastators a chance to do their crime.

Worth mentioning, the General Authority for Antiquities and Museums has announced that the excavation operations at al-Asibia area discovered last Wednesday a stone grave and bronze coffin in a marble-walled room dating back to the Sheba era.

The characteristics of the coffin indicate to a royal one belongs to a king from the Sheba kingdom.

TD/AF

Saba