The Wall Paintings in the Huts of al-Zohra (Yemen)

Abstract In 1997 and 1999, the Istituto Universitario Orientale Mission to Hodeida carried out two survey campaigns in the coastal strip of the Tehama region of Yemen. On their way to Loheia, the members of the Mission stopped in the village of al-Zohra. During the second visit (1999), they were taken to visit the interior of one of the village huts and were shown the unusual decoration of its interior. It consisted of colourful dishes hanging on the walls and a very interesting painted decoration covering the entire plastered ceiling of the hut. These paintings are the most characteristic (and characterising) element of hut architecture in this area of the Northern Tehama. This paper will present the pictorial decoration documented. It will be compared with other paintings documented by the IUO Mission in al-Zohra and other similar productions usually referred to as “folk art”.