| Sumario: | This research presents a comprehensive archaeological and artistic study of the Al-Wahsh Mosque in Al-Dhari village, Wesab Al-Ali district, Dhamar Governorate, with a focus on its intricately decorated wooden ceiling—one of Yemen’s most distinguished surviving examples from the eighth century AH/fourteenth century AD. Through field surveys and detailed technical analysis, the study explores the ceiling’s architectural and ornamental features, examines 45 inscribed texts, and investigates the materials and techniques used in its construction. The findings reveal that the ceiling serves both structural and symbolic purposes, adorned with vibrant geometric and floral motifs, Quranic verses, and monotheistic invocations rendered in a vernacular script akin to a rudimentary Thuluth style. As a visual archive of Yemen’s woodcraft and calligraphic traditions, the ceiling embodies the distinctiveness of local artistic expression shaped by broader Islamic influences, underscoring its cultural significance and the urgent need for its preservation.
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