Carl Rathjens

Carl August Rathjens (11 March 1887 – 29 July 1966) was a German geographer whose primary interests were in South Arabian historiography, geology and ethnography. He made several visits to Yemen, in the years 1927, 1931, 1934 and 1938. He is considered the greatest scholar of Yemeni research in the 20th century. He contributed more than any other in conducting scientific and ethnographic research, resulting in a wide range of findings, and he has left over 2500 ethnographical items and some 4000 positive and negative photographs from South Arabia.