The biblical Abraham’s home near the ancient city of Ur has been unearthed by archeologists in Iraq, creating a connection with one of the most significant religious figure of all time.
In the Bible and Jewish Torah, Abraham was chosen by God to reveal the chosen people of Israel. Abraham began a lineage that would include the significant figures of the Bible and Torah and would become the basis for the Abrahamic religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
On Thursday, archeologists from Britain said the found Abraham’s home city when they uncovered a sprawling complex near the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq. It is believed they found a 4,000-year-old administrative center for the city.
“This is a breathtaking find,” said Stuart Campbell of Manchester University’s Archaeology Department, who led the dig. The complex they found was close to the size of a soccer field, which Campbell said is a rare find for a complex of that age.
“It appears that it is some sort of public building. It might be an administrative building, it might have religious connections or controlling goods to the city of Ur,” Campbell added in an interview with The Associated Press.
The project to find the biblical Abraham’s home comes in a relatively stable part of Iraq, but archeologists said war and violence in other parts of the country prevent other projects. The team that found the complex was the first British-led team to dig in Iraq in close to 30 years.
“This has been an opportunity to get back to an area very close to our heart for a long time,” Campbell said.
Archeologists involved in the Iraq dig uncovered more than just an administrative complex. The search for Abraham’s home also uncovered some religious artifacts including a plaque of a worshipper wearing a flowing robe and approaching a sacred site.