Archaeologists have discovered a Christian cross in Abu Dhabi, proving that the 1,400-year-old site was a church.
The discovery of the Christian cross proves that the 8th-century houses found in the United Arab Emirates were part of a monastery, according to RTS.
During excavations in the UAE, archaeologists found a complete 1,400-year-old plaster cross. This Christian symbol finally confirms that a series of houses discovered a few decades ago were part of a monastic complex.
“This is a very exciting time for us. We have never had concrete evidence that the [houses] were inhabited by Christians,” said archaeologist Marija Gajewska from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, in a video.
Nine small houses with courtyards were excavated in 1992 on Sir Bani Yas Island, 170 kilometers southwest of Abu Dhabi. Nearby, archaeologists found a 7th- and 8th-century church and monastery, but it was not clear whether the houses were connected to the monastic settlement.
History unearthed by the DCT Abu Dhabi team! An ancient cross from a 7th-8th century monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island, our first major dig in 30 years. This discovery highlights the UAE’s legacy of peaceful co-existence. pic.twitter.com/XSP1m7Ul4y
— Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (@dctabudhabi) August 19, 2025
This year, archaeologists returned to Sir Bani Yas for further excavations. In the courtyard of one house, they found a plaster tile in the shape of a Christian cross, almost 30 centimeters long.
“With this cross, we have now proven that these houses were part of a Christian settlement,” said Gajewska. According to her, elderly monks probably lived in these houses, withdrawing into solitude and praying, before returning to the monastery to their brothers.
Sir Bani Yas was just one of the sites of Christian worship in the region during that period, according to a translated statement from the Abu Dhabi Media Office. Christianity spread around the Arabian Gulf between the 4th and 6th centuries, before the advent of Islam in the 7th century. Muslims and Christians lived on Sir Bani Yas until the monastery was abandoned in the 8th century.
The new excavations “help us better understand the nature of life and the relationships that connected the island’s residents with the surrounding regions,” said archaeologist Hajer Hasan Almenhali from the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, in the video.
Archaeologists plan to continue working on the houses with courtyards. The location of the church and monastery on Sir Bani Yas is open to the public.
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Source: N1, Photo: Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi