Excavation Near Mount Ararat: Is This Noah’s Ark?
This summer, an archaeological team, led by Turkish archaeologist Cenker Atila and the U.S. group Noah’s Ark Scans, began their exploration of the Durupınar mound, commonly referred to as a boat-shaped formation near Mount Ararat in Turkey. They’ve collected a significant number of soil samples, but lab tests are ongoing. Interestingly, despite a flurry of headlines and posts on social media declaring that Noah’s Ark has been discovered, no concrete proof has been presented yet.
Dr. Jeremiah Johnston, a New Testament scholar known for his studies on biblical artifacts like the Shroud of Turin, spoke with pastor and BlazeTV host Josh Howerton about this intriguing find.
Howerton opened the discussion with a direct question: “Why haven’t they just dug the thing up yet?”
Johnston quipped, “I wish they would. If you have a half-million dollars, I’ll go there and start excavating today.” He added that one of the primary reasons for the lack of excavation is Turkey’s predominantly Muslim culture. The local government, he noted, appears to be resistant to any findings that might validate biblical accounts in Christianity and Judaism.
He speculated that the archaeological team may have had to navigate “bribery” to conduct their scans and sample collection, suggesting that “I’m sure they’ve had to pay a few people off just to get the exceptions to do it.”
Without a full excavation, there are still points of contention fueling belief that this could be Noah’s Ark. Howerton highlighted several elements: the dimensions of the Durupınar formation align with biblical descriptions of the ark, its location matches the narrative of where Noah’s vessel came to rest, ancient pottery shards found nearby, and unique upright stones—dubbed Arzap stones—that some suspect were used as anchors.
Howerton mentioned that the evidence is convincing enough for some news outlets to claim the Durupınar formation has been “100% confirmed” as the Ark.
The Noah’s Ark Scans account seemed to affirm this assertion the next day, posting that although they expect criticism, they also believe that these findings are accurate and that more details will follow soon.
Johnston, however, remains cautiously optimistic. “I want to see what all of the evidence actually has to say,” he said, expressing his support for further digging and discovery. “I hope that we find parts of Noah’s ark someday in our lifetime,” he continued, suggesting that technological advancements may be revealing information that could substantiate biblical texts.
Yet, Johnston also pointed out that many questions still linger. “We have to have discernment,” he stressed, reminding that 1 Thessalonians 5:20 reminds us to “prove all things.” He went on to share that the formation was named after a man who explored it in 1960 — a geologist who deemed it a natural phenomenon rather than a remnant of a biblical vessel.
Additionally, he noted that the formation is located in a valley of the Ararat Mountains, contrary to scriptural descriptions, which indicate a mountain peak. “There’s an elevation issue,” he pointed out.
The prevailing opinion among archaeologists, both secular and religious, is also that the Durupınar formation isn’t Noah’s Ark. “Archaeology is a full-contact sport,” Johnston remarked, highlighting how challenging it is to achieve consensus among experts, yet the uniform agreement here is the formation’s natural origin.
For a deeper exploration of why many geologists and archaeologists consider the Durupınar formation a natural geological feature rather than remnants of a wooden ark, you might want to check out a related episode.
