The Egyptian Antiquities ministry says New Christian ruins have been discovered in Egypt’s Western Desert, revealing monastic life in the region in the fifth century AD.
The ministry said in a statement that a French-Norwegian archaeological team uncovered several buildings made of basalt while others were carved into the bedrock while others were made of mud bricks.
Head of Islamic, Coptic and Jewish Antiquities, Osama Talaat said the complex at the Tal Ganoub Qasr al-Agouz site was made of six sectors containing the ruins of three churches and monks’ cells.
Head of the mission, Victor Ghica said the walls of church had religious inscriptions and some biblical passages in Greek, giving insight into the nature of monastic life in the region.
He added that the latest discovery is proof that monks were present there since the 5th Century AD and will help people understand how the first monastic communities were formed and buildings developed in that Region of Egypt.
Egypt has announced several major archaeological discoveries in recent times in the hope of encouraging tourism which has suffered some setback since the uprising in 2011 as well as the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
