Mysterious Ancient Cross Found in Amazing Place

A 1,400-year-old cross is changing our understanding of how far Christianity has spread in the East. Archaeologists working on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE, have discovered an artifact that appears to be a step pyramid depicting Mount Calvary, where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, with leaves growing from its base.

The cross was found among the ruins of a church and monastery, suggesting that a Christian community flourished on the Gulf island in the seventh and eighth centuries, the Daily Mail reports.

Christianity during this period was generally associated with the Levant, Mesopotamia and parts of Europe, making the discovery of a thriving community on an island in the southeastern Persian Gulf unexpected and historically significant.

At the same time, the region was undergoing profound religious changes, as Islam gained strength and spread rapidly throughout Arabia, while older pagan traditions persisted and Christianity was thought to be fading. However, the presence of a thriving Christian settlement here belies this assumption.

Maria Gaevska, the lead archaeologist of the excavations, notes: “Each element of the cross reflects regional motifs. This tells us that Christianity in this region was not only present, but also flourished, visually adapting to the local context. We had settlements of Christians that not only existed, but were clearly thriving.”

Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism, called the find "a powerful testament to the UAE's deep and enduring values ​​of coexistence and cultural openness," adding that the find highlights the region's history of peaceful religious diversity.

Excavations this season also uncovered pottery, glassware and a small sea-green bottle that may have held oil or rose water.

The cross is about 10.6 inches long, 6.7 inches wide and about 0.8 inches thick. Archaeologists believe it was placed on a wall where worshipers would kneel.

Hagar Al Menhali, an Emirati archaeologist with the department, told The National: "The plaster was lying face down and something about it caught my eye." On the back there is a "distinct fingerprint" suggesting it was left by the person who made the tablet.

Future research will include radiocarbon dating and further study of the courtyard houses, which may eventually be included in the wider visitor list.

"These discoveries strengthen our connection to the past and inspire future generations to embrace the spirit of unity and mutual respect that has long characterized our community," Al Mubarak said.

Excavation results suggest that senior monks may have lived in the courtyard buildings, attended church services, or used the rooms for spiritual retreat.

Solid limestone and coral structures with water cisterns indicate a comfortable existence rather than the life of a hermit.

The Christian community belonged to the Church of the East, a branch that stretched from the Middle East to China, the Daily Mail reports.

The discovery on Sir Bani Yas island provides a rare glimpse into how Christianity not only survived but spread east, uniting communities in the Gulf states into a wider story of the spread of the faith in India and Asia.

Evidence of a church and monastery on Sir Bani Yas dating to the seventh and eighth centuries was first discovered in the early 1990s. Another monastery, probably associated with the same church, was discovered on an island in Umm al-Quwain in 2022. Similar sites have also been discovered in Kuwait, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Archaeologists are still trying to figure out why the settlement at Sir Bani Yas fell into disrepair.

The church is thought to have been divided even before the arrival of Islam, plagued by internal schisms as rival branches sought independence. However, evidence suggests that the early Christian and Islamic communities in the region interacted peacefully and traded. No external events have yet been identified that could have led to the site's abandonment.

What is striking, archaeologists say, is that the buildings appear unusually clean, with no signs of collapse or rubble, suggesting that residents may have abandoned them deliberately with plans to return, rather than being forced to leave by disaster or conflict.