Noah's Ark Researchers Cite New Evidence for Biblical Site in Turkey

A team investigating a boat-shaped formation in eastern Turkey has announced new evidence that they say strengthens the case for the site holding the remains of Noah's Ark.

"In archaeology, you deal with probabilities, and we’re inching towards where we believe we will have confirmation this winter after our soil analysis is done with Sivas University, who’s our partner in this," Noah’s Ark Scans founder Andrew Jones told "Saturday in America."

The Durupinar formation, an approximately 538-foot-long geological structure located near Mount Ararat, has been a focal point for researchers and enthusiasts for decades due to its shape and proximity to regions mentioned in biblical accounts.

First discovered in 1959, the boat-shaped formation has long fueled speculation about a connection to the biblical Noah's Ark. Critics have consistently argued that the formation is a natural geological occurrence. However, Jones stated that recent efforts, including drilling, soil sampling, and the use of ground-penetrating radar, have provided new data challenging this perspective.

"They’ve criticized in the past, saying all those scans you can interpret different ways, ‘This is a solid mass of rock, a syncline or a block of bedrock,'" Jones said. "Well, we’ve core drilled… over 12 locations. We did not find bedrock at all."

Jones reported that the drilling operations uncovered deposits of rich black soil. These samples are slated for testing for organic content at Ankara University this winter. He noted that the biblical account describes Noah's Ark as a large wooden vessel.

"Noah’s Ark was a giant wooden boat, according to the Bible," he said. "As wood decays, you’re gonna find elevated organic matter. This year, as we drilled into the formation, we did not find a solid rock layer, like the critics said. But we did find large deposits of highly rich black soil that has hopefully high organics."

The research team aims for the upcoming analysis to reveal whether there are indications of human activity or materials consistent with decayed wood beneath the formation.

Jones also referenced a 2024 soil survey that reportedly showed three times more organic matter within the boat-shaped formation compared to samples gathered from outside the site.