Archaeologists reveal that Christians, Zoroastrians coexisted in Iraq in ancient times
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Archaeologists have recently uncovered evidence that suggests Christians coexisted with a now little-known religion in modern-day Iraq.
The discovery, announced by Goethe University Frankfurt in Germany, was made public in December.
Excavations began in late summer 2025. The focus was on a building complex built around 500 AD in the Gird-i Kazhaw region of the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
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The university statement stated that archaeologists are not sure what purpose the complex was built in the old days; until he found five square columns “suggesting it might have been a church.”
The statement also said, “Geophysical surveys had revealed more walls underground, so this ‘church’ was originally believed to be part of a larger monastery.”
An excavation site associated with early Christian worship is shown next to a historical depiction of the Prophet Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism. (Alexander Tamm, Dirk Wicke; Culture Club/Getty Images)
Archaeologists also found the remains of a Christian meeting place, as well as additional stone pillars “indicating the presence of a three-naved structure.”
Pottery containing a Maltese cross was also recovered here.
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The site’s proximity to a nearby Sassanid fortification is particularly significant, as it could indicate Christians and Zoroastrians lived side by side in the area, the researchers said.
“Religious diversity was common.”
Zoroastrians were subjects of the Sasanian Empire, a large Persian empire that ruled from 224 AD to 651 AD.
The state religion was Zoroastrianism, and the collapse of the empire in the 7th century gave way to Islamization in present-day Iraq and Iran.
Researchers think the complex dates to around 500 AD and may have been used as a meeting place for Christians. (Alexander Tamm, Dirk Wicke)
There are approximately 100,000 Zoroastrians practicing this religion today.
Alexander Tamm, a professor at the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, said the evidence for the presence of Zoroastrians in the region was “more indirect”. He headed the excavation.
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“There was also a small castle in use,” Tamm said. “So far we have not found any artifacts that would indicate a Christian presence there.”
He added: “If one thinks about this in more detail and assumes that a small military contingent might have been stationed there… they were most likely Zoroastrians.”
“While Zoroastrianism contains more than one god, Christianity of course has only one God.”
Tamm said that the mixing of these two religions in Northern Iraq is not news.
“Religious diversity was common,” the archaeologist said.
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“Also, it should not be forgotten that Muslims and Christians later lived together in this region and still do today.”
For those unfamiliar with Zoroastrianism, Tamm said it differs significantly from Christianity.
Diggers uncovered pottery marked with the Maltese cross shown at right; this strengthened the strong evidence of early Christian presence. (Alexander Tamm, Dirk Wicke)
“Zoroastrianism involves more than one god, while Christianity, of course, has only one God,” he said.
Tamm also noted “significant differences” in customs, especially burials. Zoroastrians buried their dead in niches or containers carved into rocks to prevent direct contact with the soil.
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“For Zoroastrians, the earth is considered pure, so the dead cannot just be buried in the ground because that would pollute the earth,” he said.
“But the Christians did exactly that: They buried their dead in the ground. This could certainly have been perceived as a great insult to the Zoroastrians.”
“We really had very little clue as to what to expect…we just assumed we could uncover a small village.”
Despite this tension, Tamm noted evidence that humans “adjust to some degree.”
“They probably respected each other’s traditions, even if these practices partly conflicted with their own religious teachings,” he said.
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Tamm added that it was “quite surprising” that the site dates back to the Sassanid period, especially considering the size of the buildings uncovered.
“We really had very little indication of what to expect,” the expert said. “We assumed we could uncover a small village.”
“There’s still a lot left to excavate,” said a professor and excavation co-leader. (Alexander Tamm, Dirk Wicke)
Tamm concluded that much is unknown about the history of Christianity in Iraq and Iran.
“There’s still a lot left to excavate,” he said.
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“Only new excavations can help reconstruct this knowledge… The staff of the Sulaymaniyah Antiquities Department and our excavators belong to the Islamic faith, but for them, as for us, archeology and the search for knowledge are a priority.”
