Temple of Nakrah

The Minean Temple of Nakrah was a large square temple built by the Minaeans in the city of Barāqish.

History
The temple was built by Minaeans during the 6th century BC. During medieval times, the temple was damaged by an earthquake.

In 1986, the qadi Ismaïl Ali al-Akwa tasked the Italian archaeologist Alessandro de Maigret to excavate the site of Barāqish, who discovered the temple in 1990 and 1992 (Italian Archaeological Mission or Istituto Italiano per il Medio de Estremo Oriente. It is one of three temples in that city to have been discovered. 10 years after its discovery, funds were raised by the Yemeni and Italian governments to restore the temple in 2003 and 2004.

The temple is reported as being badly destroyed by the ongoing Yemen Civil War having been bombed by the Saudi Arabian military as it was being used by Houthi forces.

Description
Its dimensions are almost square (12x11 meters) and the temple was composed of twelve monolithic pillars. 14 statuettes (human figures, size 7 to 16 centimeters) were unearthed in the close vicinity of the temple, made of stucco-layered terracotta or just stucco.

Baraqish is the best-preserved ancient walled town in Yemen, once had more than fifty towers and two gates, and its walls reached a height of to 14m. Located in the wide Wadi Fardha, it was previously known as Yathil, the dominant town in the Minean kingdom and an important centre on the incense route.