Archaeologists are highlighting the mysterious boat-shaped remains along the Turkey-Iran border that some believe could be the remnants of Noah’s ark. The Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Research Team has used new technology to analyze the soil of the Durupinar formation, just two miles from the border. The team includes researchers from the Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ), Andrew University, and Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University (AİÇÜ). Samples dated from around 3500 and 5000 years old, within the timeline that many place the events of the Genesis flood to be within. There were also marine materials found within the soil, indicative of the area possibly having been submerged at one time. Genesis 7:20 states that the waters rose so high, mountains were covered. “Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.” The location of the remains also matches that as described in the Bible, where the ark lands amongst the mountains of Ararat.

The formation in the Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı has been a source of interest since 1948 when it was first discovered by Kurdish farmers. Scientific analyses of the region did not begin, however, until 2021. Satellite imagery of the boat-like shape appears to match the dimensions of the boat in Genesis, which is described as being “300 cubits, 50 cubits, by 30 cubits,” or about 515 feet long, 86 feet wide and 52 feet high. The Ark Encounter in Kentucky, supported by the Answers in Genesis ministry, features a life-sized Noah’s ark based on the Biblical dimensions. Professor Dr. Faruk Kaya, Vice Rector of Agri Ibrahim Cecen University, stated the analyses point to early human activity in the region. “According to the initial results, it’s believed there were human activities in this region since the Chalcolithic period.” The flood occurred during a period of 40 days of rain according to the Bible, with flood waters remaining for 150 days while Noah and his family, along with pairs of land animals and birds, remaining safe within the ark during that period.

New technologies such as satellite imaging and geological sampling have further ignited interest in the area, though some scientists still doubt a definitive conclusion can be reached. The story of the ark remains an important event in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions. Gary Eastman, owner of Eastman Archaeology, has offered another possible sighting of the famous boat, capturing images of a wooden, ship-like structure that was slowly revealed by a melting glacier on Mount Ararat from 2015 to 2020. The structure measured 488 feet long by 69 feet wide and has slowly been covered by more ice. “This structure, whether a ship or an ancient building, has been encased in ice for centuries and is only now visible to us,” said Eastman. He stated further study is needed. “Whether or not this is Noah’s Ark, the structure holds immense cultural and historical significance. Further exploration could unlock important insights about the ancient civilizations that lived here.”