Christians and Zoroastrians Lived Side by Side 1,500 Years Ago

Deep in Iraq's Kurdistan region, archaeologists just discovered something remarkable: proof that two very different faiths shared the same neighborhood 1,500 years ago and made it work.

Excavations at the Gird-î Kazhaw site uncovered a Christian meeting place dating to around 500 A.D., complete with stone pillars suggesting a three-nave structure and pottery marked with Maltese crosses. Just nearby stood a fortress likely staffed by Zoroastrian soldiers serving the Sasanian Empire, the major Persian power that ruled the region at the time.

"Religious diversity was common," said Alexander Tamm, the archaeologist who co-led the dig with Goethe University Frankfurt. The find isn't just about buildings. It's about how people with conflicting beliefs found ways to respect each other.

The two faiths couldn't have been more different. Zoroastrians worshipped multiple deities and considered earth so sacred they wouldn't bury their dead in the ground, instead placing bodies in rock-cut niches. Christians practiced monotheism and buried their loved ones directly in the earth, a practice that could have deeply offended their Zoroastrian neighbors.

Yet evidence suggests they adapted to one another. "They likely respected each other's customs, even when those practices partially contradicted their own religious teachings," Tamm explained.

The team had expected to find a small village but instead uncovered substantial buildings that point to a thriving mixed community. The discovery sheds light on a largely unknown chapter of Christianity's history in the region.

The Ripple Effect

This ancient example of religious coexistence carries fresh meaning today. The same Kurdistan region still hosts Muslims and Christians living side by side, continuing a tradition of diversity that stretches back millennia.

Tamm notes that the Islamic staff working on the excavation share his passion for uncovering this interfaith history. "For them, as for us, archaeology and the pursuit of knowledge are the priority," he said.

About 100,000 Zoroastrians still practice their faith worldwide today, keeping alive one of humanity's oldest religions. This dig proves their ancestors once lived peacefully alongside early Christians during an era when both faiths were finding their footing.

There's still much more to uncover at the site, and each new finding adds detail to a story of mutual respect that modern communities can learn from.

Sometimes the best lessons about living together come from looking back at those who figured it out centuries before us.