By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post contributor A woman stands at Qal’at al-Bahrain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Manama, Bahrain, on Sunday, July 21, 2024. lovelypeace/iStock
An archaeological discovery has revealed one of the oldest Christian structures in the Arabian Gulf region, shedding light on a long-lost Christian community that thrived in the region before the spread of Islam in the early 7th century. The find uncovered the first physical evidence of the Church of the East (also known as the Nestorian Church) in Bahrain.
Researchers from the University of Exeter and the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities discovered what is believed to be a bishop’s palace, radiocarbon dated to between the mid-4th and mid-8th centuries, the university announced on its website.
The structure was discovered beneath a cemetery mound in the village of Samahij, a modern settlement centre but also of historical importance: the site was inhabited until it was abandoned after the community converted to Islam.
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Co-leader of the excavation, Professor Timothy Insol from the University of Exeter, described the structure as a large building with eight rooms, including a kitchen with multiple hearths, a refectory or dining room, possibly a workroom, and three living quarters.
“We were also intrigued to discover that someone had painted part of a face on a mother-of-pearl shell with bitumen, presumably that of a child who lived in the building,” Insor said. “This is the first physical evidence found of a Nestorian church in Bahrain and it gives us a fascinating insight into how people lived, worked and worshipped here.”
The presence of several Christian symbols and artefacts, including a plaster cross and early Christian symbols such as the Ki-Loh and fish carved into plaster, further strengthens the Christian identity of the local inhabitants.
Finds also included woven fabrics, spindle wheels and copper needles, probably used for worship, suggesting textile production at the site. Excavations also unearthed 12 copper coins dating to the Sassanid period, adding further evidence of an economically thriving community.
The excavation of the site, which began in 2019 and is due to finish in 2023, was sparked by local legend. “They said there was an earthwork beneath an abandoned mosque/shrine in their cemetery and there was something important there,” Insol was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail. “No one listened, but eventually they were taken seriously, they got what they said and the building was found.”
Researchers plan to continue their work at the site and hope to open a museum to preserve and display their findings in 2025.
