Latest news with #SirBaniYasIsland
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Mysterious 1,400-year-old cross depicting site of Jesus' crucifixion redraws early Christian maps
A 1,400-year-old plaque depicting a cross reshapes the understanding of how far east Christianity spread. Archaeologists working at Abu Dhabi's Sir Bani Yas Island uncovered the artifact that features a stepped pyramid representing Golgotha, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, and leaves sprouting from its base. It was found among the ruins of a church and monastery, suggesting a Christian community flourished on the island during the seventh and eighth centuries. Christianity during this period was typically associated with the Levant, Mesopotamia and parts of Europe, making the discovery of a thriving community on a southeastern Arabian Gulf island both unexpected and historically significant. At the same time, the region was undergoing profound religious change as Islam was rising and spreading rapidly across Arabia, while older pagan traditions lingered and Christianity was thought to be fading. However, the presence of a flourishing Christian settlement here challenges that assumption. Maria Gajewska, lead archaeologist at the site, said: 'Every element of the cross incorporates regional motifs. 'It tells us that Christianity in this region was not only present but flourished, adapting visually to its local context. We had settlements of Christians that were not just existing but were clearly thriving.' Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism, called the discovery 'a powerful testament to the UAE's profound and enduring values of coexistence and cultural openness,' adding that the find highlights a history of peaceful religious diversity in the region. The excavations this season also uncovered pottery, glass artifacts and a small sea-green bottle that may have held oil or rosewater. The cross is about 10.6 inches long, 6.7 inches wide, and roughly 0.8 inches thick. Archaeologists believe it could have been an object of veneration and placed on a wall with worshippers kneeling before it. Hager Al Menhali, an Emirati archaeologist at the department, told The National: The plaster was resting face down and something about it caught my attention.' She added that a 'distinct fingerprint on the back,' speculating it was left by the person who crafted the stucco plaque. Future studies will include radiocarbon dating and further exploration of the courtyard houses, which could eventually be incorporated into a broader visitor trail. 'These discoveries deepen our connection to the past and inspire future generations to embrace the spirit of unity and mutual respect that has long defined our community,' Al Mubarak said. Evidence from the excavation suggested that senior monks may have lived in the courtyard buildings, walking to the church for services or using the spaces for spiritual retreats. The well-built structures, made of limestone and coral with cisterns for water, indicate a comfortable existence rather than a purely hermitic life. The Christian community belonged to the Church of the East, a branch that stretched from the Middle East to China. The Sir Bani Yas discovery offers a rare glimpse into how Christianity not only survived but expanded eastward, linking Arabian Gulf communities into the wider story of the faith's spread toward India and Asia. Evidence of a church and monastery on Sir Bani Yas, dating to the seventh and eighth centuries, was first uncovered in the early 1990s, Another monastery, likely linked to the same church, was discovered on an island in Umm Al Quwain in 2022. Similar sites have also been identified in Kuwait, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Archaeologists are still investigating why the Sir Bani Yas settlement declined. The church is believed to have been fragmenting before the rise of Islam, troubled by internal schisms as rival branches sought independence. However, evidence suggests that early Christian and Islamic communities in the region communicated and traded peacefully. So far, no external event has been identified as the cause of the site's abandonment. What is striking, archaeologists said, is that the buildings appear unusually clean, with little sign of collapse or rubble. This suggested the residents may have left intentionally, planning to return, rather than being forced out by disaster or conflict.
UAE Moments
6 hours ago
- UAE Moments
Ancient Christian Cross Discovered at an Abu Dhabi Island
Archaeologists from Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism have uncovered a 1,400-year-old Christian cross moulded on stucco on Sir Bani Yas Island, marking a significant milestone in the emirate's archaeological resurgence. The find emerged from renewed excavations that began in January at a long-studied church and monastery site on the island's eastern side. The cross, measuring approximately 27 cm in length, 17 cm in width, and 2 cm in thickness, was discovered face-down within courtyard houses that are thought to have housed monks. When flipped over, it revealed a beautifully preserved image—possibly placed on a wall and revered by worshippers. Its design is richly detailed, incorporating regional motifs such as a representation of Golgotha, floral elements, and niche framing, echoing artistic parallels from the Gulf and Mesopotamia. 'This discovery … is a powerful testament to the UAE's profound and enduring values of coexistence and cultural openness,' stated Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism, reflecting the find's importance in highlighting the region's shared heritage. Sir Bani Yas Island, now a serene reserve home to gazelles and other wildlife, has been known since 1992 as the site of a 7th–8th century Christian monastery, with evidence of a flourishing monastic community, courtyard dwellings, and evidence of trade stretching across the Arabian Gulf. Archaeologists speculate that the newly excavated buildings housed senior monks in retreat, perhaps for meditation or periods of solitude or served as spiritual sanctuaries for affluent Christians. Features like thick stone walls, water cisterns, and traces of lamp use suggest a deliberate and refined habitational design. With this latest discovery, archaeologists plan further analysis, including radiocarbon dating and additional digs, to deepen understanding of the site. The existing church and monastery are already safeguarded under protective shelters, and a visitor center nearby showcases past finds such as chalices and a scorpion motif seal, offering the public a window into Abu Dhabi's ancient fabric. This ancient Christian cross thus not only offers a tangible link to the UAE's pre-Islamic religious history, but also underscores the enduring legacy of cultural plurality woven into the region's past and present.
Khaleej Times
8 hours ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Ancient cross discovered in monastery site on Sir Bani Yas island
A team of archeologists has made an exciting new discovery at the site of an ancient monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) on Tuesday announced the discovery of a cross moulded on a stucco plaque from the monastery. This find comes during the first major excavation on the island in more than 30 years. In January 2025, DCT Abu Dhabi launched a new fieldwork campaign on Sir Bani Yas Island, leading to the discovery of the cross. The object is believed to have been used by monks for spiritual contemplation. The style of the cross shows similarities with finds from Iraq and Kuwait, and is linked to the Church of the East, which has origins in ancient Iraq. Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, DCT Abu Dhabi, said, 'The discovery of this ancient Christian cross on Sir Bani Yas Island is a powerful testament to the UAE's profound and enduring values of coexistence and cultural openness." "It stirs within us a deep sense of pride and honour and reminds us that peaceful coexistence is not a modern construct, but a principle woven into the very fabric of our region's history," he added. Monastic complex The seventh-to eighth-century CE Christian monastery was first discovered on Sir Bani Yas Island in 1992 by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (Adias), under the direction of the UAE's leadership. Excavations since then have uncovered a church and a monastic complex occupied at the same time as the monastery. They are currently interpreted as separate spaces, where senior monks retreated for periods of contemplation and ascetic seclusion. Archaeologists are currently researching and exploring a group of courtyard houses near the monastery, where early Christian monks lived in retreat. Christianity in the region Sir Bani Yas is part of a wider group of churches and monasteries that emerged across the region around the same period, with similar sites found in Umm Al Quwain, Kuwait, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Christianity spread and declined across the Arabian Peninsula between the fourth and sixth centuries CE. Christians and Muslims later co-existed until the eighth century CE, when the Sir Bani Yas monastery was peacefully abandoned. Today, the church and the monastery, set within nature reserves home to gazelles and hyrax, serve as a reminder of Abu Dhabi's ancient past. As part of restoration efforts carried out by DCT Abu Dhabi in 2019, the church and monastery are now protected by shelters. The Sir Bani Yas church and monastery site has reopened to the public with improved facilities, including directional signage and a small exhibition of artefacts from previous excavations, such as glass chalices, a cross-shaped stucco, and a stamp seal with a scorpion motif. A multi-faith church, inspired by the ancient site, has also been built adjacent to the visitor centre. DCT Abu Dhabi will continue excavating the courtyard houses in the coming years, which may be integrated into a wider visitor trail connecting the island's cultural landmarks.
The National
13 hours ago
- General
- The National
Ancient Christian cross found on Abu Dhabi island as archaeologists dig into mysteries of the past
An ancient Christian cross has been unearthed on Abu Dhabi's Sir Bani Yas Island, the emirate's Department of Culture and Tourism announced on Tuesday. The artefact, thought to be about 1,400 years old, was discovered by teams from the department who restarted digs in January at the wider church and monastery site on the east of the island. The cross, moulded on a stucco plaque, was unearthed at a cluster of courtyard houses to the north of the main site where it is thought monks once lived. The artefact is larger and more intricate than the decorative cross found in the 1990s that first helped identify the location as a Christian site. It is thought the cross could have been an object of veneration and placed on a wall with worshippers kneeling before it. 'The discovery of this ancient Christian cross on Sir Bani Yas Island is a powerful testament to the UAE's profound and enduring values of coexistence and cultural openness," Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Abu Dhabi department, said on Tuesday. "It stirs within us a deep sense of pride and honour and reminds us that peaceful coexistence is not a modern construct but a principle woven into the very fabric of our region's history." Excavations this season – the first in about three decades – focused on courtyard buildings to the north of the main church and monastery site. 'The plaster was resting face down and something about it caught my attention,' Hager Al Menhali, an Emirati archaeologist at the department, told The National. 'There was a distinct fingerprint on the back.' Ms Al Menhali suggested registering it as a special find, thinking the fingerprint alone made it interesting. 'But when the team carefully turned it over, we were stunned,' she said. 'There it was … a beautifully preserved cross [on] stucco plaster. This was one of the most significant discoveries of the season.' The cross, which is 27cm long, 17cm wide and about 2cm thick, incorporates regional motifs that were common on artefacts in the Middle East, such as a representation of Golgotha, the hill where Christians believe Jesus was crucified. 'Visually, every element of the plaster cross incorporates regional motifs,' Maria Gajewska, an archaeologist who leads the team on the island, told The National. 'The stepped pyramid at the bottom, representing the Golgotha; the leaves sprouting from the base; the shape of the cross arms; the dots at the ends and the setting within a niche all find regional parallels in the Gulf and Mesopotamia.' She said it was an 'extremely exciting find' and a clear marker of who lived there, something rare in archaeology. 'We were just digging in the right place,' she said, pointing to the spot where the cross was found in February. 'Incredible.' Long history Today, Sir Bani Yas, about 170km south-west of Abu Dhabi, is a peaceful nature reserve where gazelles roam the dunes. But evidence for human activity there dates back more than 8,000 years and it once had a vibrant pearling industry. During the seventh and eighth centuries, it was also home to a Christian community. The new discovery provides evidence of Christianity in the wider community on Sir Bani Yas, rather than just at the church and monastery, and draws back the curtain on the island's past. 'So much of what we do is interpretation and sometimes bordering on guesswork, frankly, and this was just lying there telling us, yes, they were Christian,' said Ms Gajewska. 'We had settlements of Christians that were not just existing but were clearly flourishing.' It is thought senior monks may have lived in solitude in the courtyard buildings and walked across to the church for mass or other services, before returning. Another theory is that the buildings could have functioned as an ancient retreat for wealthy Christians to get away from the world – living and praying by lamplight. Ms Gajewska said blackened earth found on the ground in the buildings could indicate places where residents had lamps. One large stone building examined this season was built using limestone and coral from the island. Ms Gajewska said the buildings were unusual because they are extremely well made, featuring thick walls to tackle the heat and cisterns for water. That is an indication of a more comfortable existence than simple hermit life. 'They could have been places where senior monks who prayed at the church lived permanently, or else where people retreated to for periods of seclusion, perhaps during Christian Lent,' she said. Experts said pilgrimage and spiritual retreats were part of the world during that time and people would walk across Europe to the Middle East. Life on the island, however, would have been challenging, particularly during summer. They could have kept cattle, sheep and goats, as well as eating seafood. It is thought they were plugged into trade networks across the Middle East and Asia. The Christian community was part of the 'church of the east' – which stretched from the Middle East to China. Evidence of a church and monastery dating to the seventh to eighth centuries was first found at the site in the early 1990s. Another monastery, probably from the same church, was found in 2022 in Umm Al Quwain – also on an island. Others have been found in Kuwait, Iran and Saudi Arabia. Archaeologists are investigating reasons for the decline of the site in Sir Bani Yas. It is believed the church was already fragmenting before the arrival of Islam. It was troubled by schisms, with different branches seeking to assert independence. But it is thought early Christian and Islamic communities communicated and traded. There is no evidence yet for any external event that led to the demise of the Christian site. But archaeologists believe it is unusual for these buildings to be clean, suggesting residents intended to return. Sites typically show decline, with areas of rubble, but that is not the case at the site excavated this year. This season's dig also uncovered pottery and large amounts of glass. A standout piece of glass was a small bottle, sea green in colour, that could have been used for holding oil or rosewater. Future plans Further studies of the artefacts and radiocarbon analysis of samples will be carried out. It is hoped there will also be further digs at the site. As part of restoration efforts undertaken by DCT Abu Dhabi in 2019, the church and monastery are protected by shelters. There is also a visitor centre with some artefacts from past excavations on display, including glass chalices, a cross-shaped stucco and a stamp seal with a scorpion motif. A multi-faith site has also been built next to the visitor centre. Further excavations are planned and the department said the courtyard houses examined this year could be added to a broader visitor trail linked to the cultural sites on the island. "The ongoing discoveries from Sir Bani Yas Island, even after 30 years of research and excavation, underscore the magnitude of our cultural legacy and the importance of our continued commitment to its preservation and understanding," Mr Al Mubarak said. "As DCT Abu Dhabi continues to uncover these valuable stories, we reaffirm our dedication to preserving, promoting and protecting Abu Dhabi's diverse heritage, one that we are honoured to share with the world. "These discoveries deepen our connection to the past and inspire future generations to embrace the spirit of unity and mutual respect that has long defined our community.'
