Could Türkiye’s Mount Agri hold remains of Noah’s Ark?

For centuries, explorers, scientists, and religious believers have searched for the legendary Noah’s Ark, the vessel said to have saved humanity and animals from a catastrophic flood. Now, more than 5,000 years after the biblical deluge, researchers claim to have uncovered its long-lost location.

Ancient myths and global flood legends

Noah’s Ark remains one of history’s most famous and debated legends. The tale of a great flood appears in multiple ancient texts, from the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh—written in the early second millennium B.C.—to a Babylonian cuneiform tablet from 1,750 B.C., which describes how to construct a massive boat.

Professor Ekrem Bugra Ekinci explains: “The flood story is one of the few historical events shared across nearly all cultures. The Sumerians, Egyptian priests, Greek philosophers, Persian and Chinese historians, Hindu Brahmins, as well as Gallic, Scandinavian, Mayan, Aztec, and Native American myths all contain accounts of a great flood. Though names and locations change, the essence of the story remains consistent.”

When was ship-like formation on Mount Agri discovered?

Discovered on September 11, 1959, by Turkish Army Captain Ilhan Durupinar, boat-shaped structure—now known as the Durupinar formation—has sparked debates about whether it could be linked to the legendary Noah’s Ark.

The story of Noah’s Ark is deeply rooted in both Islamic and Christian traditions, with references appearing in Surah 11:44 of the Qur’an and Genesis 8:4 of the Bible. These ancient texts describe a massive flood, a great vessel, and its eventual landing in a mountainous region. Many locals in the nearby village refer to the Durupinar site as “Al-Judi,” believing it to be the ark’s final resting place.

Searching for Noah’s Ark on Mount Agri

The quest to find Noah’s Ark has driven numerous expeditions to Türkiye’s Mount Agri (Ararat) and beyond. In 1876, British lawyer and politician James Bryce climbed the mountain and claimed to have found a wooden fragment matching the historic description.

Later reports—ranging from a sighting in the 1940s to evangelicals allegedly discovering petrified wood in the 2000s—continue to fuel speculation.

Mount Agri and its historical significance

The Book of Genesis states that Noah’s Ark came to rest on the mountains of Agri (Ararat). The name Ararat originates from Urartu, the ancient kingdom that ruled the region. The mountain is also called Masis by Armenians, meaning Mother of the World.

Mount Agri (Ararat), a dormant volcano, has long been a site of religious and historical interest. Near its summit once stood the Saint James Monastery, where legend claims Noah built the first post-flood sanctuary. The site, along with the nearby village of Arguri, was destroyed in an earthquake in 1846. Local folklore suggests that a small willow tree in the area grew from a piece of Noah’s Ark, while a decayed vine near the monastery was said to have been planted by Noah himself.

Expeditions and controversies

Since the early 19th century, European travelers and scholars have frequently attempted to climb Mount Agri (Ararat) in search of Noah’s Ark. According to Professor Ekinci, “Expeditions have claimed to find remains of the ark, take wooden samples, and even photograph it from the air. These discoveries were widely sensationalized in newspapers. However, none of these claims were ever scientifically verified.”

One of the most dedicated proponents of the search was Turkish politician Kasim Gulek, but none of the alleged ark remains could pass carbon-14 dating tests. Ultimately, many of these explorations have been criticized as financial scams, with explorers raising funds through religious communities and returning with inconclusive findings.

A scientific perspective on the great flood

Eric Cline, an archaeologist from George Washington University, notes that geological evidence suggests a massive flood occurred in the Black Sea region approximately 7,500 years ago.

Regarding the possibility of Noah’s Ark being in this region, Professor Ekinci states: “After the Mount Agri fiasco, foreigners turned their attention to Mount Cudi. The Holy Quran explicitly states that the ark came to rest on Mount Cudi. Tafsir (interpretations) unanimously agree that Cudi is a mountain near Mosul. The Babylonian priest Berossos, who lived around 250 B.C., describes the flood and states that the ark came to rest on the Cordyean Mountains, with its remains still present, and that people even used pieces of it as amulets. These mountains are located southwest of Lake Van, where Mount Cudi is also found. Situated just north of Mesopotamia, where Prophet Noah lived, and standing at an altitude of 2,000 meters, it is the only suitable high mountain where the ark could have landed. When the dove was sent to determine whether the flood had ended, it returned with an olive branch in its beak. While not even a single tree, let alone olives, grows on Mount Agri, the southwest of Mount Cudi is covered with olive groves.”

Ongoing research in Türkiye

Despite skepticism from the scientific community, a group of Turkish researchers recently launched an investigation in an area believed to contain traces of Noah’s Ark.

However, Andrew A. Snelling, a geologist and director at Answers in Genesis, offers another explanation: “After the flood, Noah and his family would have needed shelter. It is logical to assume they dismantled the ark for its timber, meaning no significant remains would be left to find today.”

As scientists continue to explore and debate the reality behind the flood myths, one thing remains certain—the mystery of Noah’s Ark will continue to captivate generations to come.