Christian Monastery That May Predate Islam Discovered in UAE

An ancient Christian monastery that may pre-date Islam was discovered in the United Arab Emirates. The 1,400-year-old monastery was discovered on Siniyah Island, part of the emirate of Umm al-Quwain, and likely was in place before Islam spread across the Arabian Peninsula. It is the second ancient Christian monastery discovered in the UAE; in the early 1990s, a monastery was discovered on Sir Bani Yas Island, located off the coast of Abu Dhabi, near the Saudi border. A grouping of buildings that archeologists believe belong to a pre-Islamic village are located hundreds of meters from the monastery. Similar churches and monasteries have been discovered in Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The site was visited today by Noura bint Mohammed al-Kaabi, the country’s culture and youth minister and Sheikh Majid bin Saud Al Mualla, the chairman of the Umm al-Quwain’s Tourism and Archaeology Department. Digging is continuing at the site, The Associated Press reported.