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A team investigating a boat-shaped formation in eastern Turkey says new evidence strengthens its case that the site could contain the remains of Noah’s Ark.
“In archaeology, you deal with probabilities, and we’re getting closer to the point where we think we’ll have confirmation this winter after our soil analysis is done with Sivas University, which is our partner in this,” Andrew Jones, founder of Noah’s Ark Scans, told “Saturday in America.”
The investigation focuses on the Durupınar Formation, an approximately 538-foot-long geological structure near Mount Ararat. Its shape and proximity to the region identified in the biblical account have fascinated ark hunters for decades.
The boat-shaped formation was first discovered in 1959 and has been the subject of long-standing speculation about a possible connection to Noah’s Ark.
Site where Jesus was crucified and buried reveals new evidence that supports the biblical account
Scientists who have researched the Turkish site of Durupinar say they have found compelling evidence for the Noah’s Ark hypothesis. (NoahsArkScans.com)
Critics have argued the formation was natural, but Jones said recent drilling, soil sampling and ground-penetrating radar have given his team new reasons to dispute that conclusion.
“They’ve been critical in the past, saying that all of these scans could be interpreted in different ways: ‘This is a solid mass of rock, a syncline or a block of bedrock,'” Jones said. “Well, we drilled cores…on 12 locations. We didn’t find any bedrock.”
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Researchers say a new analysis of soil from Turkey’s Durupinar Formation shows chemical differences consistent with rotting organic matter. (Huseyin Yildiz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images; Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
Jones said the drilling discovered rich black soil, which researchers plan to test for organic content this winter at Ankara University.
“Noah’s ark was a giant wooden boat, according to the Bible,” he said.
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“As wood decomposes, you’ll find a high amount of organic matter. This year, when we drilled into the formation, we didn’t find a layer of solid rock, as critics say. But we did find large deposits of very rich black earth that hopefully contain a high content of organic matter.”
Researchers hope the analysis will help determine whether there are signs of human activity or material consistent with rotting wood beneath the formation.
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Jones also pointed to a soil study done in 2024 that he said contained three times more organic matter inside the boat-shaped formation than samples collected just outside.
Fox News’ Andrea Margolis contributed to this report.
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