Two historic villages in Muharraq with deep-rooted Christian heritage could be on course for global recognition, after councillors unanimously backed a proposal to seek Unesco World Heritage status for Dair and Samaheej.
The Muharraq Municipal Council yesterday approved submitting a joint bid highlighting the two communities as some of the Gulf’s earliest witnesses to Christianity and symbols of Bahrain’s long-standing tradition of religious coexistence.
The proposal was spearheaded by four councillors, led by the council’s financial, administrative and legislative committee chairman and area councillor Fadhel Al Oud, who believes the villages hold an exceptional place in Bahrain’s cultural and spiritual history.
The Bahraini Christian community has been present in the two villages from the fifth to seventh centuries.
Thanks to a joint effort by a British-Bahraini archaeological team, new details have emerged about the oldest Christian building in Bahrain dating back to the fourth century.
Dair, whose name translates as ‘Monastery’, is home to a neighbourhood known as Al Rahib (The Monk). Local tradition holds that the area’s Al Rahib Mosque in Dair, located in Block 232, may have originally stood on the site of an ancient church, preserving memories of Bahrain’s Christian past.
Mr Al Oud
“We have a significant number of tourists coming to Dair and Samaheej because they are fascinated that we cherish Christian history,” Mr Al Oud told the council.
“Many people believe that Al Rahib gives blessings and they come seeking wishes from the mosque – or church – in Dair, regardless of their religion.”
The village also features the famous Al Hawaryeen (Disciples) alley, a name that has long intrigued historians.
“Whether it refers to the disciples of Jesus, companions of Al Rahib, or other clergy who once lived there remains unclear,” said Mr Al Oud.
He added that Dair and Samaheej continue to preserve echoes of that heritage, with both villages known for having one of the country’s highest concentrations of people bearing the names Maryam (Mary) and Isa (Jesus).
The Unesco proposal comes amid growing international interest in Bahrain’s early Christian history, particularly following groundbreaking archaeological discoveries in Samaheej.
Excavations carried out by Bahraini and British archaeologists uncovered what is considered the first physical evidence of the Church of the East, often referred to as the Nestorian Church, in Bahrain.
Beneath the remains of Shaikh Malik Mosque, researchers unearthed a substantial Christian complex dating from between the mid-fourth and mid-seventh centuries AD.
The 17-metre-long building contained eight rooms, including living quarters, a kitchen, a dining hall and study areas. Archaeologists believe it may have served as a monastery or even the residence of a bishop overseeing the historic diocese of Meshmahig, the ancient name for Samaheej.
Among the discoveries were plaster crosses, Christian graffiti, imported Indian pottery, glass wine goblets, copper coins from the Sasanian Empire and inscriptions in Psalter Pahlavi, an Aramaic-related script.
Experts say the findings offer an unprecedented glimpse into how Christian communities in the Gulf lived, traded and worshipped more than 1,300 years ago.
The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (Baca) has already proposed transforming the site into a visitor attraction complete with information panels and educational facilities.
Last year, Baca president Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa described the Christian discoveries as evidence of Bahrain’s role as a historic meeting point for civilisations and religions.
For Mr Al Oud, Unesco recognition would not only safeguard the heritage of Dair and Samaheej but also provide long-overdue infrastructure improvements.
“Recent discoveries in Samaheej show the origins of a place that was once at the heart of Christianity in the Gulf,” he said.
“This is why we seek Unesco recognition. Baca has a gem site in its hands.
“If the site becomes Unesco protected, it would mean roads, facilities and car parks could be developed – something the area desperately needs to cope with residents and tourists.
“If successful, the bid would place Dair and Samaheej alongside some of the world’s most treasured cultural landmarks, while further cementing Bahrain’s reputation as a crossroads of faiths, cultures and civilisations stretching back centuries.”
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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