The Queen Of Sheba

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• 1. Layers of the legend
• 2. Jewish legend
• 3. Unpicking the clues
• 4. Islamic tradition
• 5. Ethiopian tradition
• 6. An enigma
• 7. Find out more
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Jewish legend

Among all the famous story-tellers in the world, along with the Celts, the Greeks and the Indians, the Jews have left one of the greatest legacies. The Bible tales were written down in the late Iron Age and into the period of Persian and Greek rule in the Near East (600-200 BC). They have proved amazingly tenacious and enduring - their extraordinary impact on the history of civilisation due mainly to their importance to the three monotheistic religions.

The first appearance of the tale of the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon is a short narrative in the Old Testament.

And when the Queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart. And King Solomon gave unto the Queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.(I Kings 10 v.1-13)

This is a story that so far has proved impossible to verify. But it provides us with just enough hints and clues to be tantalising and mysterious. The 'precious stones', 'spices' and 'incense' that the queen brought as gifts from her homeland must denote a country rich in gems and incense trees.

Only a few countries can boast these attributes - countries such as Somalia and Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa, and Oman and Yemen in the southern Arabian Peninsula. So could the land of Sheba have been one of those? And what about the name itself? What evidence is there for a land called Sheba?

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Published: 03-02-2005