Ceramic artifacts estimated to be 7,000 years old have been unearthed at Turkey's Durupinar Formation in the Dogubayazit region near Mount Ararat, Turkish media sources indicated, according to the Daily Mail.
The boat-shaped geological structure, measuring 538 feet in length, has remained central to discussions of Noah's Ark for many decades, the Daily Mail reported, as Biblical texts identify it as the legendary vessel's ultimate resting place.
A group of US scientists recently employed radar-based mapping technology to chart what may be remnants of Noah's Ark beneath the site's surface, the Daily Mail noted.
The ceramic pieces in question, discovered during roadway development near the Durupinar Formation in Agri province, suggest that human presence dated to 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, according to Daily Mail. Dr. Faruk Kaya stated, "The ceramic fragments show that there was human activity in this region during the Chalcolithic period, between 5500 and 3000 BC," Daily Mail reported. The ceramic materials' chronological period aligns with conventional estimates of when the Biblical flood survivor lived, Dr. Kaya indicated, according to the Daily Mail.
These ceramic materials represent among the most definitive markers of human habitation, intensifying speculation that this geographical landmark might constitute the authentic Biblical location, the Daily Mail noted.
Given the discovery's potential significance, the academic called for protective measures for the site and demanded a prohibition "on the removal of stones, rocks or similar material from the site," according to the Daily Mail. Dr. Kaya noted individuals had been collecting marked stones, which could damage this significant archaeological and cultural location, the Daily Mail reported.
The academic additionally cautioned about natural catastrophic events that might jeopardize this archaeological treasure, possibly degrading both formation sides and worsening existing deterioration, according to the Daily Mail.
This discovery does not represent the initial significant finding at the Mount Ararat location, the Daily Mail indicated.
Separate investigators used subsurface radar to identify a 13-foot passageway running through the formation's middle section, along with three underground levels corresponding to Biblical descriptions of the vessel's triple-deck configuration, according to the Daily Mail.
Genesis 6:16 declares: "Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks."
