RAHAT, Israel: Israeli archaeologists on Wednesday unveiled a rare ancient mosque in the country´s south that the antiquities officials said sheds light on the region´s transition from Christianity to Islam.
The remains of the mosque, believed to be more than 1,200 years old, were discovered during works to build a new neighbourhood in the Bedouin city of Rahat, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement.
The mosque located in the Negev desert contains "a square room and a wall facing the direction of Makkah", with a half-circle niche in that wall pointing to the south, the IAA said. "These unique architectural features show that the building was used as a mosque," the authority said, noting it probably hosted a few dozen worshippers at a time.
A short distance from the mosque, a "luxurious estate building" was also discovered, with remains of tableware and glass artefacts pointing to the wealth of its residents, the IAA said. Three years ago, the authority unearthed another mosque nearby from the same era of the seventh to eighth century AD, calling the two Islamic places of worship "among the earliest known worldwide".
The mosques, estate and other homes found nearby illuminate "the historical process that took place in the northern Negev with the introduction of a new religion -- the religion of Islam, and a new rulership and culture in the region," the IAA said. "These were gradually established, inheriting the earlier Byzantine government and Christian religion that held sway over the land for hundreds of years."
PARIS: Israel´s unprecedented strikes on its archfoe Iran on Friday are a resounding blow for Tehran that has thrown...
PARIS: World leaders urged restraint on Friday after Israel pounded Iran, striking 100 targets including nuclear and...
BOSTON: A federal judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump’s administration from implementing parts of his...
PARIS: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Friday France was determined to recognise a Palestinian state...
WASHINGTON: The timing of Israel´s plan to attack Iran was top secret. But Washington pizza delivery trackers guessed...
PARIS: Global airlines on Friday cancelled flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran and other Middle East destinations, or rerouted...
LOS ANGELES, United States: The first US Marines ordered by Donald Trump to Los Angeles will deploy late on Friday,...
LONDON: British MPs on Friday backed a ban on adverts for assisted dying if proposed UK legislation allowing...