One of the Oldest Known Mosque in the World Was Recently Discovered – RisePEI
A group of Israeli archaeologists not too long ago found an historical mosque within the Bedouin settlement of Rahat, within the Negev desert, The Times of Israel reported final week.
The archaeologists have been in a position to date the mosque again to the seventh century by figuring out the age of the traditional ceramics housed inside its foundations. The mosque is considered 1,200 years outdated.
“What is exclusive in our mosque is the proliferation of Seventh-century ceramics on the positioning, making it one of many earliest mosques on this planet,” archaeologist Dr. Elena Kogan-Zehavi, one of many Israel Antiquities Authority excavation co-directors, instructed the Occasions.
A close-by, not too long ago excavated mosque was thought to have been constructed across the similar time, however the objects inside had been eliminated, making it troublesome up to now. In truth, there are lots of buildings within the space from the Byzantine period, together with Christian buildings, corresponding to monasteries and a Christian farmhouse.
“Islam got here very, very early within the northern Negev and commenced to dwell alongside the Christian settlement,” mentioned Kogan-Zehavi.
Rahat is the most important everlasting settlement of the Bedouins, who Kogan-Zehavi mentioned are keen to guard these websites of cultural heritage. The traditional mosques have been almost certainly constructed by nomadic Muslims who settled the world earlier than deciding to go away, for unknown causes.
“Historical past at all times repeats itself. The Rahat Bedouin left a nomadic life, settled in cities, and are attempting to create a little bit of a special life of their everlasting settlement. The identical factor occurred 1,200 years in the past,” mentioned Kogan-Zehavi.
