Excavations conducted by a team from the Tunisian National Heritage Institute this month revealed that a church dating back to the Byzantine period was found in an archaeological site called Castillia.
The church has been completely submerged in the sands of the Tunisian desert, specifically between the cities of Tozeur and Dougga, which preserved a big part of it. This archaeological discovery dates back to the late Roman period, between the 5th and 7th centuries AD.
At the site, the team also found many ceramic items and potteries, as well as lamps discovered near the church.
The archeologists also found several walls that are still under the sand, which confirms the presence of other buildings, adjacent to the church.
Murad Al-Shatawi, representative of the Tunisian Heritage Institute in Tozeur said: "The church has three main compartments: a main entrance, two sub-entrances, two annexes and a circular surface. The church stretches over 140 square meters, with a 3.50 to 3.70 meters height."
Bassam bin Saad, a specialist in archaeological architecture, said that the primary materials used for the construction of this archeological monument are local. He suggested that the stones were brought from the entrance to the city of Dougga.
This archaeological discovery is expected to boost the Tunisian tourism sector.
Researchers suggest that the archaeological site was fully submerged under the sand, which helped in preserving it.
