Statement of Significance

The Church and Monastery at Sir Bani Yas Island possess significant historical values due to the role they play as a physical connection with Christianity in the Gulf offering a combination of a high quality archaeological excavation and a good state of preservation. The artistic value of the material culture from the Church represented by its plaster stucco panels which are amongst the finest examples known from the region and are of exceptional value as they shed light on the development of religious art from the Christian and Early Islamic periods in the Gulf. The site in general is a testimony of the Gulf Region being an ambassador to social and religious tolerance and co-existence after the advent of Islam.

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Criteria of Sheltering an Archaeological Site:

• Sheltering System not to be Mistaken for an Attempt for Reconstruction

• Simplicity & Contrast

• Flexibility & Reversibility

• Ability to Use Space/Shelter for Interpretation and Presentation of Site to the General Public

• Affordability