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 ...
I need a bigger plate.
The waiter said they’re out of the really big sub rolls.
I’m on a low carb diet.
It’s all good.
:-)
That’s right!
That’s what a low card diet IS here in Canada.
Mmmmmm. Blubber!
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