Desert City of Early Christians Unearthed in Egypt's Dakhla Oasis

Archaeologists working at Ain al-Sabil in Egypt’s Dakhla Oasis have uncovered a complete Byzantine-era Christian city dating to the mid-fourth century, including a basilica church, a deacon’s house and a house church, plus defensive walls, watchtowers and mudbrick homes. The site yielded a treasure trove of artifacts, notably 200 ostraca with Coptic and Greek inscriptions that illuminate everyday life, along with coins from Byzantine emperors such as Constantius II and domed bread ovens and oil lamps that reveal daily routines in a well-planned Christian settlement about 185 miles west of Luxor.