Ancient Christian cross unearthed on Abu Dhabi’s Sir Bani Yas Island reveals 7th-century monastery, underscoring UAE’s historic legacy of coexistence.
Newsroom (29/10/2025, Gaudium Press ) The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has unearthed a molded Christian cross on a stucco plaque during excavations at a seventh- to eighth-century CE monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island, marking the first major dig on the site in over three decades.
The artifact measures approximately 10.6 inches long, 6.7 inches wide, and less than an inch thick. Archaeologists believe it was used by monks for spiritual contemplation. Its design shows stylistic similarities to finds from Iraq and Kuwait, linking it to the Church of the East, which originated in ancient Iraq and diverged from the Roman Church when the former refused the condemnation of Nestorian heresy the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE and the Council of Chalcedon in 451 CE.
“This is a very exciting time for us, because in the past, we have always assumed that these houses were part of a dispersed monastic settlement, but we never had concrete proof that they were actually inhabited by Christians,” said Maria Magdalena Gajewska, an archaeologist with DCT Abu Dhabi. “We have now proof that these houses were indeed part of a Christian settlement.”
The plaque was found among a cluster of about nine courtyard houses north and northwest of the main church complex, previously interpreted as spaces for senior monks’ seclusion, prayer, and ascetic discipline before rejoining the broader community.
The monastery on Sir Bani Yas, first identified in 1992 by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS) under UAE leadership, forms part of a regional network of Christian sites from the same era, including those in Umm Al Quwain, Kuwait, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Christianity spread across the Arabian Peninsula between the fourth and sixth centuries CE, with Christians and Muslims coexisting until the monastery’s peaceful abandonment in the eighth century.
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, described the find as “a powerful testament to the UAE’s profound and enduring values of coexistence and cultural openness.” In a statement, he added: “It stirs within us a deep sense of pride and honour and reminds us that peaceful coexistence is not a modern construct, but a principle woven into the very fabric of our region’s history. The ongoing discoveries from Sir Bani Yas Island, even after 30 years of research and excavation, underscore the magnitude of our cultural legacy and the importance of our continued commitment to its preservation and understanding.”
DCT Abu Dhabi restored and protected the church and monastery in 2019 with shelters. The site reopened to the public with enhanced facilities, including directional signage, a small exhibition featuring artifacts like glass chalices, a cross-shaped stucco piece, and a stamp seal with a scorpion motif. A multi-faith church, inspired by the ancient ruins, stands adjacent to the visitor center.
Excavations of the courtyard houses will continue in coming years, potentially integrating them into a broader visitor trail linking the island’s cultural landmarks. Set within nature reserves inhabited by gazelles and hyrax, the site serves as a tangible link to Abu Dhabi’s pre-Islamic past.
The discovery aligns with broader regional acknowledgments of Christianity’s historical presence. In 2019, Pope Francis visited the UAE and signed the Document on Human Fraternity with Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi. Recently, the Vatican approved a new liturgical calendar for the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia (AVOSA), designating patrons for the Catholic Church across the peninsula. The Vicariate describes the calendar as a “sign of belonging, of memory and of hope” for a pilgrim community largely comprising migrant workers in Islam-shaped societies.
DCT Abu Dhabi emphasized its commitment to preserving the emirate’s diverse heritage, stating that such finds reinforce the UAE’s legacy of peace, tolerance, and cultural openness.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Crux Now and https://www.mediaoffice.abudhabi/
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