The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi discovered during the first major exploration campaigns on the island of Sir Bani Yas more than 30 years ago, a full plaster cross in the courtyard of a house belonging to the Church of Sir Bani Yas Island, which represents a new evidence that the values of tolerance and coexistence are rooted in the history of the United Arab Emirates. An excavation campaign and in early January 2025, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi launched a field excavation campaign on Sir Bani Yas Island, during which it found the cross made of plaster that the monks used in their prayers. The design of the cross is similar to the patterns of crosses in Iraq and Kuwait, and it is linked to the Eastern Church, whose origins date back to ancient Iraq. Equipment of values
source
