An ancient church in Israel may have been built only a few years after the Muhammed messenger died

Some relics of an ancient church have just been discovered in Rahat, Israel. During a field survey for construction, archaeologists found the relics of a rural-style church.

According to the Israeli archaeological site, this building was built around 600 - 700 AD, when Rahat was still a sparse rural area.

This rural-style church is for farmers living nearby around 600 - 700 AD.(Source: Israeli Museum of Ancient Monuments).

Unlike some urban-style cathedrals in that region, the structure of this newly discovered monument is simple, it is a rectangular building, probably for farmers living around. Archaeological experts say that a rural church, built around the 7th century - VIII is an extremely rare discovery in the world, especially in the area north of Be'er Sheva, where never found a similar project before.

This church is a building with open space, can be recognized through the alcove in the altar toward the south, which is the direction of Mecca.

Nearby, archaeologists also found traces of a farm from the time when Israel was part of the Byzantine Empire , about 500-600 AD. They also discovered traces of human settlement at the same time. The settlement of the settlement of the people here is possible only a few years after Muhammed - the founder of Islam - died in 632 AD, during the time when the Arabs invaded the Levant in 636 after Public.

According to Gideon Avni, head of the archaeological department of the Israeli Museum of Ancient Monuments and a Jewish University lecturer in Jerusalem, the discovery of this village and church is an important contribution to studying the history of Israel in this turbulent time. According to him, the church shows changes in culture and religion introduced with Arab domination.

The historical texts of Islam all refer to the content of how the senior Arab dignitaries were granted land, so this church and the neighborhood may be related to the redistribution of the land. Many traces show that this is an agricultural settlement. The houses in the village are divided into many rooms, including storage areas and drying yards. Remains of open-air furnaces are still abundant in the ruins. Mr. Avni said that further excavations are needed to get more information about the origin of the settlement.

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