Archaeologists Uncover 5th-Century Church Near Sasanian Fortress in Iraqi Kurdistan

The site highlights an area where early Christians lived alongside practitioners of Zoroastrianism, the Persian faith. The structure was identified as a church based on archaeological features, including five square pillars made from quarried stone and partially covered in white plaster.

The architectural plan shows a three-nave pattern, consistent with early Christian church designs from northern Syria and Mesopotamia.

A pottery sherd decorated with a Maltese cross was recovered, providing evidence of Christian liturgical activity at the site. These elements suggest the location served as an active site for Christian worship during that period. The discovery is part of a larger project examining rural communities on the Shahrizor Plain.

Researchers aim to understand the daily lives of workers, farmers, and residents outside imperial centers.

The church and Sasanian fortress were later overlaid by an Islamic burial site, illustrating the evolution of culture and religion in northern Iraq over thousands of years. Future research will include archaeometry, archaeobotanical analysis, and forensic anthropology to assess the health, nutrition, and infrastructure of the inhabitants.

The study, noted in research from Goethe University Frankfurt, emphasizes rural settlements as bases for social, cultural, and economic prosperity rather than focusing solely on imperial centers.