Amid the challenges of the Houthi siege and ongoing conflict, Yemen's Taiz governorate (southwest) is striving to revive its interest in its cultural heritage through a broad campaign to restore and preserve its historical landmarks, alongside field and security moves to pursue antiquities looting gangs and confront vandalism at archaeological sites.

These efforts reflect a growing recognition that heritage protection is not limited to maintaining historical buildings but represents a defense of Yemeni memory and identity in the face of years of conflict.

Restoration and maintenance work continues to include the most prominent landmarks of the old city, foremost among them Cairo Castle, Al-Sirajiya Castle, Al-Muzaffar Bukhari Bath, and the surrounding heritage buildings, in addition to the National Museum. The branch of the General Authority for Antiquities and Museums is also preparing to launch a project to restore the historic Al-Muzaffar Mosque, one of the most prominent Islamic landmarks in Taiz, aiming to preserve it and restore its historical and architectural value.

The city of Taiz was the capital of the Rasulid state and left a diverse cultural legacy (local media)

Maintenance work extends to most of the historical buildings damaged by war and neglect, as part of a plan to revive the architectural heritage for which Taiz is known, which was the capital of the Rasulid state and left a diverse civilizational and cultural legacy.

Officials at the Yemeni General Authority for Antiquities and Museums say that the ongoing projects aim to preserve historical landmarks from deterioration and rehabilitate them to remain as witnesses to the city’s history, enhancing opportunities for cultural and tourism benefits in the future.

Pursuit of antiquities thieves

Parallel to restoration work, the General Authority for Antiquities and Museums is leading a campaign to protect archaeological sites from vandalism and theft. The director general of the authority’s branch in Taiz governorate, Mahboub al-Jaradi, conducted a field tour that included archaeological sites in the areas of Al-Sawa and Al-Mashawlah in the southern countryside of the governorate, to follow up on their condition and enhance protection measures after some of them suffered random excavations.

The tour included Qadam Fort, Al-Dhahirah city, and Dar al-Kadam site, where al-Jaradi saw the extensive damage caused by illegal excavations at Qadam Fort. He stressed that these attacks constitute a crime against human heritage 'because they are not limited to stealing archaeological finds but also destroy historical layers and scientific evidence that are difficult to replace.'

Restoration and maintenance work has extended to most historical buildings in Taiz (local media)

In a field development, the Authority announced its success, in coordination with security agencies, in apprehending the perpetrators who attacked the Dar al-Kadam archaeological site and forcing them to restore the site to its previous state under the supervision of the Authority's engineers, while taking legal action against them to prevent recurrence.

Qadam Fort is one of the most prominent archaeological sites in Ma'afar district, dating back to pre-Islamic times. It is characterized by its defensive fortifications, water facilities, and traditional storage, reflecting its military and civilizational status throughout history.

The General Authority for Antiquities and Museums in Taiz issued an appeal to local and security authorities to provide strict protection for archaeological sites and allocate necessary resources to prevent them from collapsing or disappearing, amid ongoing threats.

It also called on civil society organizations, intellectuals, activists, and residents of areas surrounding archaeological sites to contribute to their protection and spread awareness of their importance, stressing that preserving these landmarks is a collective responsibility that goes beyond official institutions.

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