A mysterious geological formation perched high in the mountains of Turkey could be the site where Noah’s Ark landed around 4,300 years ago.
That is the view of researchers who uncovered what they believe are man-made structures beneath the Durupinar Formation near Mount Ararat, a dormant volcano in eastern Turkey.
Andrew Jones, an independent researcher, and his team used ground-penetrating radar to see more than 20 feet below the surface, finding unnatural angular structures and voids hidden beneath layers of dirt.
‘[We found] a tunnel that is not filled in and it leads to a big central void, a room that goes much further down, which is square shaped,’ he told the Daily Mail.
‘Some people have theorized that Noah’s Ark had a multi-level big atrium to let the light and air circulate between the three decks.’
Jones noted that a key development in the investigation was the discovery of different soil inside the mysterious formation.
Inside, the soil is less alkaline, has more organic matter and contains more potassium, which is what would be expected from decaying wood, like an ancient wooden boat, which lowers pH and adds carbon and potassium, said Jones
‘Tests show these soil differences (pH, organic matter and potassium) are real, with less than a 5% chance they’re random, giving 95% confidence that something like a decayed wooden ship is causing them,’ he added.
A mysterious geological formation perched high in the mountains of Turkey could be the site where Noah’s Ark landed around 4,300 years ago
Using ground-penetrating radar, the team uncovered what looks like long hallways traveling through the middle and either side of what they say could be a massive boat
Just 18 miles south of Mount Ararat, Turkey’s tallest peak, the Durupınar Formation emerged less than a century ago.
Local accounts described heavy rains and earthquakes in May 1948 eroding surrounding mud, unveiling the mysterious structure that was first identified by a Kurdish shepherd.
The Bible recounts Noah’s Ark resting on the ‘mountains of Ararat’ after a 150-day flood submerged the Earth, sparing only those aboard the wooden vessel.
Biblical measurements describe the ark as 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high – that’s approximately 515 feet long, 86 feet wide and 52 feet tall.
The measurements of the formation in Turkey appear to match those given in the Bible.
The notion that the ark landed on Mount Ararat remains contentious. While many scientists view the formation as a natural geological feature, others see evidence of something extraordinary. The team at Noah’s Ark Scans is firmly in the latter camp.
‘Naturally, an object would not form this way with the pointed end up hill,’ said Jones.
‘Per fluid dynamics, if this was an obstruction naturally forming around a rock in the earth or mud flow, then the pointed end would be downhill and the rounded end would be uphill.’
Independent researcher Andrew Jones (pictured) and his Noah’s Ark Scans team have been studying the Durupinar Formation near Mount Ararat since 2019
Just 18 miles south of Mount Ararat, Turkey’s tallest peak, the Durupınar Formation emerged less than a century ago
He and his team at Noah’s Ark Scans have been exploring the mysterious mound since 2019, using modern technology to peer deep below the surface.
The void first appears about 14 feet below the surface and stretches more than 39 feet, according to the scans.
Jones explained that the space extends from the center of the boat-like structure toward its tip, ending where a large boulder was detected.
‘The tunnel then drops another 26 feet, connecting to a massive central room that we’re seeing in the radar scans,’ he said.
‘Our assumption is that this could be part of Noah’s Ark, possibly the central hall and some of the decks. There’s definitely something preserved underground.’
The radar captured ‘a series of right angles’ about 20 feet down, which researchers believe could be the rooms that held animals on the ark
Biblical measurements describe the ark as 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high, approximately 515 feet long, 86 feet wide and 52 feet tall. The measurements of the formation in Turkey appear to match those given in the Bible
Jones suggested the tunnel may have served as a main hallway, providing access to rooms meant for the animals brought aboard the vessel.
He said the scans revealed ‘a series of right angles’ about 20 feet down, which he believes could be those very chambers.
Dr. Daniel Bigman, an expert in high-resolution sensing technology, assisted the team in identifying what appear to be the ‘rooms.’
‘Dr. Bigman… said that in nature, you typically don’t find a series of right angles like that,’ Jones explained.
He added that the rooms appeared to be around 13 feet long on one side.
‘But again, you don’t know for sure until you ground-truth it,’ Jones said. ‘Either you have to excavate all the way down, or you core drill and get a sample of the material.’
The researchers aren’t yet declaring the formation to be Noah’s Ark, but Jones said, ‘This is the best candidate.’
The Bible recounts Noah’s Ark resting on the ‘mountains of Ararat’ after a 150-day flood submerged the Earth, sparing only those aboard the wooden vessel
‘In the Biblical account, it doesn’t say Noah’s Ark landed on Mount Ararat, it says the mountains, plural, of Ararat,’ Jones explained.
‘Back in those days, Ararat was an ancient kingdom. So it would be like saying today that Noah’s Ark landed in the mountains of Colorado. It’s referring to a region of mountains, not one specific peak, and our site fits within that location.’
The other leading possible spot is on top of Mount Ararat, though there hasn’t been any evidence found.
From as early as the 4th century, Christian tradition began identifying Mount Ararat in modern-day Turkey as the ark’s resting place.
Josephus, a 1st century Jewish historian, also wrote that remains of the ark were still visible in the mountains of Armenia, further solidifying the association with Mount Ararat.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .