Has Noah's Ark really been found in Turkey? Archaeologists say ruins found date to time of Biblical flood

The story of Noah's Ark is one of the most famous and enduring of all time. but new evidence suggests this could be much more than just a story as experts believe they hold 'ruins' belonging to the Ark.

The project at the site in Doğubayazıt, Ağrı province, Turkey, began in 2021 with researchers first collecting 30 samples of rock and soil fragments the following year. Now, signs of clay materials, marine substances, and seafood from between 5,000 and 3,000 BC is giving added weight to the view of some archaeologists that this could be where the Ark came to rest after Biblical floods.

According to the Book of Genesis, when the flood waters that drowned all the wicked and sinful souls on Earth eventually receded, the ark – which carried Noah, his family, and pairs of animals – came to rest on top of the mountains of Ararat. 

The ark itself was said to have been 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high, which translates to around 440 x 72 x 43 feet. That means if the Ark was real, it would have been enormous.

A team of experts led by Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ), Andrew University, and Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University (AİÇÜ) have been working at the site for nearly one year, collecting samples they believe hold the key to confirming the Biblical story.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Professor Faruk Kaya. from AİÇÜ, said: "According to the first findings obtained from the studies, there have been human activities in the region since the Chalcolithic period between the years 5500 and 3000 BC. It is known that the flood of Prophet Noah went back 5,000 years ago. 

"In terms of dating, it is stated that there was life in this region as well. This was revealed in the laboratory results. It is not possible to say that the ship is here with the dating. We need to work for a long time to reveal this."

Although considered a historical event, most scholars and archaeologists do not believe in literally interpreting the Ark story. In the Bible, God commands Noah to build a vast ship, the ark - capable of saving himself, his family and a representation of the world's animals.

It may be years before more concrete evidence comes out about the origins of the geological formation in Turkey. There's also the possibility that we may never know for sure.