A 1400-year-old crucifix in the desert: how a remarkable finding in the Emirates demonstrates the harmonious existence of faiths.
A symbol of coexistence: a 1,400-year-old Christian cross was discovered in the UAE / © The Independent
Within the United Arab Emirates, where Islam is the predominant religion, researchers have unearthed a Christian cross dating back 1,400 years on a stone panel within an age-old religious community.
The Independent reports this.
The cross was located on a slab in a venerable monastery on the Emirati island of Sir Bani Yas. The cross showcases local designs, including a stepped pyramid representing Golgotha, the site of Jesus’s crucifixion, along with foliage emerging from its lower portion.
Measuring 27 cm in length, 17 cm in width, and 2 cm in thickness, it is more substantial and elaborate than the cross discovered in the 1990s, which initially recognized the location as a Christian historical site.
The cross was carved on a panel, thought to have been employed by monks for devotional practices, resembling discoveries in Iraq and Kuwait, extending from the Middle East to China.
It is understood that Christianity propagated and then diminished across the Arabian Peninsula between the 4th and 6th centuries, with Islam and Christianity coexisting until the monastery’s desertion in the 8th century.
“We had Christian settlements that not only were present, but visibly thrived,” stated leading archaeologist Maria Gaevska.
She mentioned this “extremely intriguing discovery” provides a rare insight into the inhabitants.
The find occurred during the foremost extensive excavations on the island in more than 30 years. The 7th-8th century monastery was originally identified in 1992, when a church and monastery complex were found there.
“The finding of this antique Christian cross on Sir Bani Yas Island acts as a compelling demonstration of the UAE’s profound and enduring principles of coexistence and cultural receptiveness. It stirs within us a profound sense of pride and distinction, reminding us that harmonious coexistence is not a contemporary notion, but a tenet interwoven into the very essence of our region’s past,” stated Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department.
Previously, scientists made a sensational discovery in Jerusalem : they uncovered the remnants of an ancient garden beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, possibly offering additional support for the biblical depiction of Jesus' burial.
Source: tsn.ua