Noah's Ark? Excavation Planned at Durupınar Formation in Turkey

Archaeologists are preparing to excavate the Durupınar Formation in Ağrı Province, Turkey, a 164-meter geological structure that some believe could be the remains of Noah's Ark. The site was initially identified in 1959 by Captain İlhan Durupınar during aerial mapping. An international team, including Turkish archaeologists, will conduct preliminary tests and analyses before any full-scale excavations are started. Evidence that has prompted the dig includes rock and soil samples from the Durupınar Formation, which revealed clay-like materials, marine sediments, and mollusk remnants. Geophysical surveys from 2019 indicated rectangular shapes beneath the surface, and soil samples showed lower pH, higher organic matter, and elevated potassium levels, consistent with decaying wood. According to researcher Andrew Jones from Noah's Ark Scans, non-destructive tests, such as soil sampling and radar scans, will be conducted by Turkish university partners over the next few years to determine whether the structures are human-made or natural formations. The Durupınar Formation's length closely matches the dimensions of Noah's Ark as described in Genesis 6:15 of the Bible. The Durupınar site is made of limonite on Mount Tendürek, near the village of Üzengili in eastern Anatolia. While some promote the site as the petrified ruins of Noah's Ark, others, including creationist geologists Lorence G. Collins and Andrew Snelling, assert that it is an entirely natural formation. The Mount Ararat and Noah's Ark Research Team presented findings at the 7th International Symposium on Mount Ararat and Noah's Ark, stating the region was once covered by water, suggesting a catastrophic event. Despite these findings, the identification of the Durupınar Formation as Noah's Ark remains controversial.