[02 March 2004] Sana'a ,(Saba) - Long before money made the world go round Yemeni silver reigned supreme as a sign of wealth and power in ancient
times.

"Silver is one of Yemen's most renowned treasures," said Mohammed Saygal, who hails from one of Sanaa's oldest silversmith families.

"For centuries, we were the leading source of silver handicrafts and jewellery to the Middle East and Asia but today, silver making is a dying art."

When Europe was struggling through the Iron Age nearly 2,000 years ago, Yemen, with its prime location on the ancient Silk Route, was exporting silver, along with frankincense and precious stones, to the world.

In modern Yemen, only few families still work in silver and Sanaa's ancient quarter has a number of stores offering silver-coated daggers, chunky necklaces and inlaid trunks.

Assyrian texts from the seventh century BC extol the virtues of Yemeni silver while Roman descriptions of the country mention an abundance of the metal.

Each region in this diverse land had its own silver-making tradition, ranging from the box-like, jewel-inlaid necklaces of the southeastern province of Hadramout to the more delicate, flirtatious designs of the
capital.

Silver was traditionally a source of power for Yemenis, especially women who regarded it as insurance against calamity.

In a society where wo-men have always dressed modestly, silver jewellery was a way to attract male attention. Men in the past used to give their wives silver dowries.
Reuters News Agency