The unusual and ancient Christian building

Where did archaeologists find it? In Bahrain. It is one of the earliest Christian buildings in the Persian Gulf. The unusual, millennia-old Christian building is the first physical evidence of a long-lost community.

Radiocarbon dating indicates that the building, in Samahij, Bahrain, was occupied between the mid-4th and mid-8th centuries. It was abandoned after the population converted to Islam.

The unusual, thousand-year-old Christian building contains interesting artifacts.
The unusual, thousand-year-old Christian building contains interesting artifacts.

Revealing Crosses

British and Bahraini archaeologists carried out the excavations. They revealed a large building with eight surviving rooms. These included a kitchen, a refectory or dining room, a possible workroom and three living rooms. It had survived because a mosque was later built over it.

Other Christian buildings near the Gulf were found in small, remote towns in Iran, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and eastern Saudi Arabia. Most are of later date. Samahij is different because it is located in the heart of a modern settlement.

The building was very well constructed with stone walls, plastered inside and plastered floors. The occupants had a good standard of living, eating pork, which disappeared after the Islamic conversion, fish and shellfish. Semi-precious carnelian stone beads and pottery of Indian origin were found.

The community also used glass objects, including small wine glasses. This custom disappeared in the Islamic era. The dozen copper coins recovered by archaeologists suggest that they used coins minted in the Sassanian Empire. The Christian identity of the inhabitants is shown by three plaster crosses found. Also by graffiti scratched into the plaster that includes part of what appears to be a Chrysostom and a fish. These are early Christian symbols.

The building appeared in Bahrain.
The building appeared in Bahrain.

Next museum

The building was excavated between 2019 and 2023 as part of a project by the University of Exeter’s Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies. Researchers said in a statement: “We were shocked to discover that someone had also drawn part of a face on a pearl shell in bitumen. Perhaps for a child who lived in the building.

The unusual, millennia-old Christian building is the first physical evidence found of the Nestorian Church in Bahrain. It provides a fascinating insight into how people lived, worked and prayed. A museum is now being built on the site to preserve and present this remarkable survival and is due to open in 2025.

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