Archaeologists have discovered one of the earliest Christian buildings in the Persian Gulf — the first physical evidence of a long-lost community. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the building in Samahij, Bahrain, was founded between the 4th and 8th centuries, and subsequently abandoned after the population converted to Islam.
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Excavations carried out by British and Bahraini archaeologists under a mound in the village cemetery helped to discover a large building with eight preserved rooms — a kitchen, a dining room, a work room and three living rooms. The building has been preserved because a mosque was built on it.
It is possible that the building was the palace of the bishop of the diocese, which is listed in historical sources as Masmahig. Records show that relations between Meshmahig and the central church authorities were not always smooth, especially after the bishop was excommunicated in 410.
