\n<\/aside>\nAn ancient monastery dating to the\u00a0dawn of Christianity\u00a0was recently uncovered in an Egyptian desert, according to local officials.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Egyptian Ministry of Tourism\u00a0and Antiquities announced in late March that the monastery had been found in Wadi El-Natrun in Beheira Governorate.<\/p>\n
Wadi El-Natrun is considered \u201cone of the most important centers for the emergence of monasticism in Egypt and the world,\u201d according to officials, and the monastery dates from the fourth to sixth centuries A.D.<\/p>\n
The mudbrick building measures around 21,528 square feet, with walls more than three feet thick and rooms reaching about seven feet in height.<\/p>\n
The site features an open courtyard surrounded by buildings. The buildings housed monks\u2019 cells, ovens, kitchens, and storage areas.<\/p>\n
Archaeologists also found\u00a0human skeletal remains\u00a0\u2014 believed to belong to monks \u2014 along with wall paintings and architectural features.<\/p>\n
\u201cArchitectural studies show the use of various roofing systems, including vaults and domes constructed from mudbrick,\u201d the officials noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe walls were coated with a layer of white plaster and decorated with wall paintings featuring crosses,\u00a0palm trees, and various plant\u00a0and geometric motifs.\u201d<\/p>\nAn ancient monastery dating to the\u00a0dawn of Christianity\u00a0was recently uncovered in an Egyptian desert, according to local officials. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nArchaeologists also found\u00a0human skeletal remains\u00a0\u2014 believed to belong to monks \u2014 along with wall paintings and architectural features. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nExcavators also unearthed several inscriptions bearing the names of monks who lived there, along with \u201creligious texts invoking mercy and forgiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThese contribute to dating the building and documenting the\u00a0daily lives of its inhabitants,\u201d the release said.<\/p>\n
Sherif Fathy, minister of tourism and antiquities, said the find \u201crepresents a significant addition to our understanding of the origins of monasticism in Egypt, which began on Egyptian soil before spreading worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cArchitectural studies show the use of various roofing systems, including vaults and domes constructed from mudbrick,\u201d the officials noted.\u00a0 Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nExcavators also unearthed several inscriptions bearing the names of monks who lived there, along with \u201creligious texts invoking mercy and forgiveness.\u201d Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nFathy also emphasized the \u201cministry\u2019s commitment to integrating Coptic heritage sites into comprehensive tourism offerings \u2026 to enrich the tourist experience and highlight Egypt\u2019s rich heritage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mohamed Taman, head of the central administration for Lower Egypt and Sinai Antiquities, said the discovery \u201cadds a new dimension to understanding the layout of early monasteries, particularly with the presence of internal burial spaces reflecting monastic life.\u201d<\/p>\n
The discovery comes soon after archaeologists uncovered a similar monastic complex in the Beheira Governorate.<\/p>\nThe site features an open courtyard surrounded by buildings. The buildings housed monks\u2019 cells, ovens, kitchens, and storage areas. Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe\u00a0Christian monastic site, which officials announced on March 23, featured a guesthouse with 13 rooms, as well as wall paintings.<\/p>\n
Earlier in January, Egyptian officials announced that\u00a0another monastery\u00a0had been found in the village of Al-Duwair in the Sohag Governorate.<\/p>\n
At the site, archaeologists found the remains of \u201ca fully integrated residential complex for monks dating back to the Byzantine period,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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