The location of Noah's Ark might be soon identified, a group of archaeologists have suggested as they unearthed geological formations in Turkey that bear a striking resemblance to a colossal ship.
Additionally, researchers have uncovered rock and soil samples believed to contain remnants of the biblical vessel.
For years, scientists have been investigating the site in eastern Turkey where they suspect Noah's Ark may rest. Recently released images portray a massive mountain with an area seemingly tailored for a boat-like structure. Moreover, analysis of rock and soil samples retrieved from the site, presented last month, suggests the presence of "clay materials, marine substances, and seafood" dating back to 5500-3000 BC, coinciding with the biblical flood account.
Many archaeologists have long pointed to Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey as the potential resting place of Noah's Ark. The most recent study, conducted by a collaboration of three Turkish and American universities, has been investigating this theory since 2021. The "Mount Ararat and Noah's Ark Research Team" was established for scientific inquiry into the ruins, which have suffered damage from landslides, and their first expedition took place in December 2022.
Located less than 3 kilometers from the Iran-Turkey border in the Agri district of Doğubayazıt, the Durofeiner Formation is a 164-meter-long geological feature primarily composed of limonite.
This formation is believed by many to be the fossilized remains of Noah's Ark. Mount Ararat, Turkey's highest peak, towers at an impressive 5 kilometers. The site's potential was first identified in 1956. Recently, approximately 30 rock and soil samples were collected from the area and subsequently analyzed at the Istanbul Technical University. The dating study suggests that these samples date back to 3500-5000 years ago, aligning with 3000 BC, the era of the catastrophic flood.
Evidence of human activity in the region
"According to the preliminary findings of our research, we believe that human activity occurred in this region during the Chalcolithic period (Stone and Copper Age), specifically between 5500 and 3000 BC,” Dr. Faruk Kaya, vice-rector of Agri Ibrahim Chechen University, stated. “Noah's flood is believed to have taken place 5,000 years ago, and our findings indicate the presence of life in this region during that time. However, it is too early to draw definitive conclusions."
The dimensions of the mound closely match the description of Noah's Ark in Genesis, “300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high," which translates to 157 meters in length, 26 meters in width, and 15 meters in height.
In the Bible, God instructed Noah, a father of three, to construct the ark and gather two of every kind of animal before the impending flood.
The Durofeiner site is positioned 29 kilometers south of the summit of the great Mount Ararat, mentioned in the book of Genesis as the Ark's final destination. The formation's initial discovery was made by a Kurdish farmer in 1948, and it gained recognition when Turkish Army Captain Ilhan Durofeiner spotted the site in 1951 during a NATO mapping mission, according to the Noah's Ark Scans Project.
Recently, a conference titled "The Seventh International Symposium on Mount Ararat and Noah's Ark" was held in the region. Dr. Kaya emphasized the significance of conducting collaborative research in Mesopotamia, which is referenced in both the Quran and the Bible.
The sacred texts of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam all recount stories of Noah and the Ark, but the scientific community continues to examine the authenticity of these accounts.