Archaeologists have discovered a 5,000-year-old fossilised boat - which they believe was once Noah’s Ark.
During an ancient flood, the historic boat saved Noah, his family and a pair of each animal in the deluge.
An international research team has now claimed that a boat-shaped mount in Turkey, near Mount Ararat is the fossilised remains of the ship.
The “Durupinar Formation” is 163 metres and is composed of an iron ore - which is called limonite.
The latest research findings indicate that the region did suffer from a horrific flood around 5,000 years ago - which matches the timeframe of the biblical account between 3000 and 5500 BC
Noah's Ark Scans
The latest research findings indicate that the region did suffer from a horrific flood around 5,000 years ago - which matches the timeframe of the biblical account between 3000 and 5500 BC.
The researchers said: “Our studies show that this region harboured life in that period and that, at some point, it was covered by water, which reinforces the possibility that a catastrophic event of great magnitude occurred.”
For the past four years, Istanbul Technical University, Agri Ibrahim Cecen University and Andrews University in America have all been studying the area beneath Mount Ararat.
At the seventh International Symposium on Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Research Team, researchers explained that their newfound discovery could have really been the ship.
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Around 30 samples of soil and rock from the formation were taken to be analysed, which showed that it contained elements of clay-like materials, marine deposits as well as the remains of marine life.
Lead researcher Professor Faruk Kaya said: “According to the initial results, it's believed there were human activities in this region since the Chalcolithic period.”
Alongside the latest evidence, researchers were originally led to believe that the formation was the site of the boat due to the shape and site of the archaeological find.
The biblical text said that Noah was told to build a boat the “length of 300 cubits, its width 50 cubits and its height 30 cubits” - which scholars have proved is a similar length to the modern-day measurements of the formation.
The Bible has also said that Noah’s Ark managed to settle on the Mountains of Ararat which, again, is a similar region where the remnants were discovered
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The Bible also said that Noah’s Ark managed to settle on the Mountains of Ararat which, again, is a similar region where the remnants were discovered.
Yet, many have indicated that they still doubt the evidence.
Professor Kaya has said: “With the dating, it is not possible to say that the ship is here.”
Meanwhile, the speculation has also been rebuked by geologists who have insisted that the formation is simply a geological feature.
Previously, one researcher revealed that the structure was - in reality - created by the erosion of nearby bedrock by debris from surrounding landslides, while another claimed that the geological deposits were not as old as the Ark was meant to be.
