During excavations conducted by INRAP at the Tsingoni Mosque in Mayotte, a sealed niche revealed a carpentry nail together with a fragment of a Qur'anic manuscript. Our laboratory was commissioned to determine the date of this deposit. A look back at a collaboration in which archaeology and heritage science work hand in hand to shed new light on the site's history.
France’s oldest mosque reveals its past
Recognised as the oldest mosque in France, the Tsingoni Mosque has been the subject of archaeological excavations conducted by INRAP. Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of an earlier stone structure dating from the late twelfth or early thirteenth century. This discovery significantly revises the site's established chronology.
A sealed niche with an unexpected contents
During the excavation works, the archaeological team discovered a sealed niche. Inside were a carpentry nail and a fragment of a Qur'anic manuscript. This raised an important question: when had this deposit been placed there?
Paper fibres and ink: what the analysis reveals
To answer this question, our team conducted two complementary examinations . Microscopic analysis of the paper fibres provided insight into the manufacturing techniques used in the paper's production. Chemical analysis of the ink, meanwhile, yielded valuable information about its composition, which varies according to period and provenance. Taken together, the results indicate that the deposit dates to the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. This period corresponds to a major phase in the restoration of the monument. The manuscript therefore bears witness not to the mosque's earliest history, but to a more recent chapter in its life.
Supporting Archaeology Through Science
This project perfectly illustrates our mission: to provide archaeologists with reliable scientific evidence that helps deepen our understanding of historical sites. Even a modest object can shed decisive light on the chronology of a monument and contribute to a more accurate interpretation of its history. We would like to extend our warmest thanks to INRAP and the archaeological team for their trust and for the opportunity to contribute to this fascinating research.