{"id":20506,"date":"2026-07-23T14:30:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T14:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=20506"},"modified":"2026-07-23T14:30:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T14:30:32","slug":"ancient-christian-city-with-church-is-uncovered-in-egypts-dakhla-oasis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=20506","title":{"rendered":"Ancient Christian city with church is uncovered in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis"},"content":{"rendered":"


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NEW<\/span>You can now listen to Fox News articles!\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Archaeologists in Egypt recently uncovered an ancient Christian city \u2014 complete with a church and a deacon’s home \u2014 that dates back to the religion’s earliest centuries.<\/p>\n

The discovery was announced by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on July 3.<\/p>\n

The remnants were uncovered during excavation work at the Ain al-Sabil archaeological site in the Dakhla Oasis of New Valley Governorate, about 185 miles west of Luxor.<\/p>\n

ARCHAEOLOGISTS MAKE UNUSUAL FIND NEAR SITE WHERE ARK OF THE COVENANT WAS ONCE KEPT<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a statement translated from Arabic, ministry officials described the Byzantine-era city as “complete.”<\/p>\n

Photos from the site show mudbrick rooms and passageways within the newly uncovered settlement, along with preserved domed ovens that archaeologists say were used for baking bread.<\/p>\n

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Archaeologists uncovered a Byzantine-era Christian city in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis, revealing churches, homes and artifacts dating to Christianity’s earliest centuries. A later Coptic-era depiction of the Virgin Mary and Child appears on the left.<\/span> (CM Dixon\/Print Collector\/Getty Images; Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities via Facebook)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“All of the city’s buildings were constructed of mudbrick,” the statement said.<\/p>\n

“<\/i>These include the basilica church, dating to the mid-fourth century A.D.; the remains of two watchtowers on the city’s outskirts; a fortress with thick defensive walls; and a cluster of houses featuring large halls and vaulted ceilings.”<\/p>\n

1,740-YEAR-OLD ROMAN COIN BEARING EMPEROR’S NAME FOUND AS ENGLAND RAIL DIG REVEALS CLUES<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the most notable structures uncovered was the home of Tisos, a church deacon, which dates to the second half of the fourth century A.D.<\/p>\n

Archaeologists also identified the house of Tapibos, which archaeologists believe served as a house church before the city’s basilica was constructed.<\/p>\n

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Excavations revealed mudbrick buildings, domed bread ovens and other structures that archaeologists say formed part of a complete Christian settlement.<\/span> (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities via Facebook;)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Diaa Zahran, head of the Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities Sector at the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said the city followed “a well-planned urban layout.”<\/p>\n

“It features main streets running north to south intersected by east-west cross streets, creating open squares and plazas,” Zahran said in a translated statement.<\/p>\n

STARTLING MYSTERY REVEALED IN CENTURIES-OLD ROYAL TOMBS AT POWERFUL QUEEN’S MONASTERY<\/strong><\/p>\n

“At the center of the city stands a basilica church overlooking one of the principal streets.”<\/p>\n

Archaeologists also uncovered a variety of artifacts, including household pottery, bottles used to store oils and perfumes, oil lamps and stone tools for grinding grain.<\/p>\n

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“The texts record sales transactions, correspondence and other details of everyday life.”<\/p>\n

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A treasure trove of coins was found as well, including well-preserved bronze coins bearing images of Byzantine emperors, Latin inscriptions and Christian symbols.<\/p>\n

Some of the gold coins date to the reign of Emperor Constantius II, who ruled from 337 to 361 A.D.<\/p>\n

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One of the most “significant discoveries” at the site was an archive of written documents, said Zahran Mahdi, director of excavations for the Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Sector.<\/p>\n

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The archive consists of 200 ostraca \u2014 broken pieces of pottery or limestone \u2014 that contained Coptic and Greek inscriptions.<\/p>\n

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A collection of coins bearing Byzantine emperors, Christian symbols and Latin inscriptions was uncovered during the excavation.<\/span> (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities via Facebook; Dea Picture Library\/De Agostini via Getty Images)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

“The texts record sales transactions, correspondence and other details of everyday life,” Mahdi said in a statement.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n

Egypt, one of the centers of early Christianity, has been the site of several historic Christian discoveries in recent years.<\/p>\n

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Officials said the discovery provides new insight into the growth of Christian communities in Egypt during the Byzantine period. A later Coptic-era depiction of Jesus is seen at right.<\/span> (Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities via Facebook;)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

This spring, Egyptian officials announced they had found an ancient monastery dating to the dawn of Christianity in Wadi El-Natrun.<\/p>\n

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/p>\n

Earlier this year, archaeologists uncovered an ancient Christian monastic complex in Upper Egypt, shedding light on monastic life before the Arab conquest.<\/p>\n

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