Posted on 11/24/2008 4:04:25 PM PST by SunkenCiv
To the untrained eye they may look like rubble. But the ruins of a monastery and church discovered in Abu Dhabi tell a fascinating tale about a little-known period in the region's history. When the foundations were built, the Roman empire had just come to an end, Christianity was sweeping the world and Islam had not yet been born... The monastery and church, survivors of a Nestorian Christian period, are just two of 36 archaeological troves on the island. Others include the remains of villas with stucco decorations, pottery and basic furnishings, providing a glimpse into life in pre-Islam times. "This particular time period is very interesting as we have a real overlap of documentation and archaeology which throws up some fascinating contradictions," said Mark Beech, an archaeologist from the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach). Christianity persisted in the Gulf until at least the late 9th century, he said. "In 1991 we first discovered ruins from that period on Sir Bani Yas... The church and monastery are thought to date to the 7th century but could even have roots as far back as the 4th century. Pottery relating to the 8th century has been subjected to extensive scientific tests and shed light on the diet of residents from the period. Archaeologists discovered the bones of fish such as sharks, rays and hammour in the bottom of pots as well as date juice and remains of sheep and goats. Only the bones of dugongs, now an endangered species, show a marked contrast to the present-day diet in the region.
(Excerpt) Read more at thenational.ae ...
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All of the Middle East was largely Christian, before being converted to Islam.
These are different Nestorians. This group has been thought to be the lost tribes that converted to Christianity on their own and stayed where they happened to be at the time.
Interesting - what was once Christian lands should revert back to Chrisitan lands
Converted? How about forced?
Never mind. I thought the title was about Obama appointing Clinton re-treads. :)
“Unearthing an ancient treasure trove”
Toghrul Quan, and many of the Kerait people were Nestorians. So were Mongke, Qublai and Hulegu Quans’ mother, Sorghatani Beki, and Hulegu’s wife. The Nestorians made sizable inroads into western Asia, and may have spawned the ‘Prester John’ legend.
I wonder if that made the conversion to Islam easier, as compared to pagan to Muslim.
How much influence do you think this group had on that era’s Ethiopian Christians? Thus there would be a continuing cultural link.
Ping for later
Please tell me they didn't eat dugongs. Who did they think they were, Koreans.
They sure are ugly dugong things.
Yes they are. If you’ve ever been in the water with a Manatee, they’re also quite large.
Kaifeng
Jesus Sutras
Christians in China: A.D. 600 to 2000
by Father Jean Charbonnier,
contributions by David Notley,
tr. by M. N. L. Couve de Murville
There is more under the water.
Lot o’ eatin’ in one of those, I’m sure.
LOL!
Not more Manatee!
More History!
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