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Major discovery in Iraq: history of Christianity could be rewritten by 1,500-year-old church ruins
A recent archaeological discovery in northern Iraq, which could reshape our understanding of the history of Christianity, sheds light on the fact that followers of Zoroastrianism and Christians lived peacefully alongside each other more than 1,500 years ago. The church uncovered at a site called Gird-î Kazhaw is the first known Christian building in the area and may explain how different religions coexisted during the early centuries of the Middle Ages.
The history of religions is often shaped by tragic events, as evidenced by religious wars or early Christian persecutions. However, there are also phenomena that offer a surprising perspective on past societies.
According to Live Science, recent archaeological findings in Iraq highlight that religious tolerance existed thousands of years ago: Christians and followers of the Persian-origin Zoroastrian faith were able to live together peacefully. These new discoveries may reveal how interfaith relations developed during the early Middle Ages and could influence current interpretations of early history of Christianity.
The significance of the Gird-î Kazhaw Church in history of Christianity
The Gird-î Kazhaw archaeological site is located in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region, not far from the village of Bestansur, where German university researchers have conducted studies over the past few years.
The main result of the excavations is the discovery of buried stone columns and other architectural remains, proving that the Gird-î Kazhaw complex was the central church of a monastery built around 500 AD. According to archaeologists, it is the first known Christian church in the region. In addition to the church, the team also found fragments of a jug bearing a cross, a symbol that was rarely used in Christian iconography at the time.
The true significance of the discovery lies in the fact that the church is only a few steps away from a Persian-origin Zoroastrian fortress. The proximity of the two structures provides clear evidence that Christians and Zoroastrians coexisted peacefully, offering a new perspective on the early history of Christianity.
Religious syncretism in Georgia
Alongside the church remains discovered in Iraq, intriguing archaeological finds have also been made in Georgia. At the Dedoplis Gora palace, researchers uncovered a sanctuary dating back around 2,000 years, part of a vast temple complex. At that time, the region belonged to the independent Kingdom of Kartli, though Persian influence was strong, and Zoroastrian practices were not unfamiliar there.
David Gagoshidze, an archaeologist from Tbilisi University, explained that the kings of Kartli revered Zoroastrian gods, which were intertwined with the local Georgian star-god myth. At Dedoplis Gora palace, three sanctuary rooms were identified, each dedicated to different religious traditions. One room was used for Zoroastrian rituals, another for worship of the Greek god Apollo, while the third hosted syncretic rituals combining multiple religious traditions.
This discovery provides further evidence that Zoroastrianism, as the official religion of the Persian Empire, could coexist in symbiosis with other belief systems. In other words, the practice of religious pluralism existed thousands of years ago and influenced the history of Christianity as well.
The history of Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is named after the Persian prophet Zarathustra (Greek: Zoroaster), who lived around 3,500 years ago. The religion centres on the worship of the “Wise Lord,” Ahura Mazda, with fire as its primary symbol. As the official religion of the Sassanian Persian Empire, it dominated the region for over a thousand years. However, following the rise of Islam, it declined significantly, and today there are only around 120,000 adherents worldwide.
The archaeological findings in Iraq and Georgia indicate that early Zoroastrianism was capable of peaceful coexistence with other religions, whether Christians or local cults. This early example of religious pluralism remains exemplary today and may shed new light on the history of Christianity.