Was there a church in Mecca? Chiselled stonework with 'Christian figure' discovered at holy site in Yemen

Was there a church in Mecca? Chiselled stonework with 'Christian figure' discovered at holy site in Yemen

*Stone carving found in Zafar, some 581 miles to the south of Mecca

*Thought to have been made in the era of the Prophet Muhammad, in 530AD

*Archaeologist Paul Yule concluded that Zafar was centre of a 772,000 sq mile Arab territory that exerted influence all the way to Mecca

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An Archaeologist has discovered what he believes to be the ruins of a buried Christian empire in the highlands of Yemen.

The find has led to theories that there may have once been a Christian church in Mecca.

A stone carving of a Christian figure was found in Zafar, some 581 miles south of the Holy City, and is thought to have been made in the era of the Prophet Muhammad.



Paul Yule, an archaeologist from Heidelberg in Germany, has dated the 5ft 7in relief - which shows a man with chains of jewellery, curls and spherical eyes - to around 530AD.

After excavating sites in Yemen, the German archaeologist concluded that Zafar was the centre of an Arab tribal confederation, an area that covered 772,000 sq miles and exerted its influence all the way to Mecca.

The figure is barefoot, a pose typical of Coptic saints. He is holding a bundle of twigs, a symbol of peace, in his left hand, and there is a crossbar on his staff, making it look like a cross.

read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2254657/Was-church-Mecca-Chiselled-stonework-Christian-figure-discovered-holy-site-Yemen.html