Culture
Two of world's oldest mosques discovered in Israel’s Negev desert
The Israel Antiquities Authority discovered ruins of ancient mosques and rural properties dating back about 1,200 years, which sheds light on the area’s transition from Christianity to Islam during that era.
In June, the Israel Antiquities Authority unearthed an ancient mosque dating back 1,200 years in the Bedouin city of Rahat in the Negev desert in southern Israel.
Back in 2019, the authority uncovered another mosque dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries AD.
In a June 8 statement, the authority explained that both the previous and new discoveries of mosques suggest that the area made a transition from Christianity to Islam, adding that the first relics found were marble columns belonging to churches.
The authority stated that the excavation works will continue and the mosques will be restored and preserved as historical monuments.
