Archaeologists have unearthed an ancient earthen mosque in the southern Iraqi city of Al-Rafai. According to them, the mosque dates back to the Umayyad period. It may have been used in the early days of Islam or around 60 AH. Since the exact history of the early days of Islam is unknown to us, the discovery of a mosque at that time is considered important.
The mosque is located in the middle of the residential area of Al-Rafai and is 18 feet long. And about 26 feet wide. At the same time 25 worshipers could perform prayers here. A joint team of archaeologists from the United Kingdom and Iraq found the mosque.
Ali Shalgham, head of the Iraqi government’s Department of Archaeological Research and Excavation, said it was a “very important archeological site”. Because, first of all, this mosque is made entirely of earth. Ignoring the storm-cloud-rain, it has survived for centuries. Second, this pattern will take us back to the early history of Islam. We know very little about the history of that time.
Al-Rafai and surrounding areas in Iraq are very rich in archeology. Earlier, Ur, the city of Mesopotamian civilization, was found here. During a visit to Iraq in March of this year, Pope Francis, the supreme religious leader of Christians, visited the ancient monument.
French archaeologists have unearthed a palace used by Mesopotamian ruler Sin-Ednam in the city of Larsa in Iraq, not just Ur. A joint search by Russian and Iraqi archaeologists earlier this year found a 4,000-year-old settlement in the area. Due to its rich heritage, this region of Iraq has a special demand for domestic and foreign tourists.
