The biblical tale of Noah’s Ark and the flood must be among the most well-known stories throughout human history. Mount Ararat has long been associated with the Ark, and the recent discovery of a sunken city in a nearby lake has reignited the public imagination. Recent viral posts have claimed that the discovery of this city could change everything we know about Noah’s Ark. So, is this city proof of the biblical story, or is that simply wishful thinking? Two discoveries in the lake have revealed that this area was once home to people, but how old are they really?
The Recent Discoveries
Back in 2017, underwater photographer Tahsin Ceylan filmed a long row of stacked stones underneath Lake Van near Adilcevaz. However, this was more of a fortification wall than a sunken city. Furthermore, several archeologists have noted that the wall looks medieval in style and that the builders may have incorporated older stones from the Iron Age. In March 2025, Ceylan and his team announced that they had made another discovery. They revealed that they had found a tower-like structure and remains of a wall 15 meters underwater on the south side of the Lake.
Additionally, they also found shards of pottery (amphora fragments) near the wall. This lake, with all of its underwater artifacts, is located only a few hours’ drive away from Mount Ararat. This mountain has long been traditionally associated with Noah’s Ark. Just south of Ararat lies the Durupinar site, a boat-shaped formation that many believe is the remains of the actual Ark. However, various geologists who have visited the site and examined the structure in detail have concluded that it is simply a natural formation. Yet, any underwater discovery in the area tends to get a buzz going around the topic of the Ark.
Why Did These Formations End Up Underwater?
Does the fact that these formations are now underwater prove that there was once a flood in the area of biblical proportions? Well, simply, people have built near the water for centuries. However, due to certain environmental factors, the water line may rise considerably, leaving these structures submerged. Lake Van is also full of naturally-formed towers called microbialites that can easily be mistaken for man-made structures by the untrained eye. These can often result in photos that look great on social posts but are more than just a little misleading.
Lake Van is a closed-basin “soda” lake, which means that water flows in, but there is no permanent river flowing out. This means that the shoreline of the lake is very sensitive to the local geology and changes in climate. Over centuries, wetter periods can raise the lake by meters; drier periods can pull it back. Furthermore, there is a nearby volcano (Mount Nemrut) that has occasionally blocked all the natural outlets. All of these factors have resulted in massive rises and falls of the lake’s water level over the centuries. This means that fortification walls built during a dry period could easily be covered by water in subsequent wet decades.
The Bottom Line
Some people have claimed that these structures are linked to a flood that occurred during the Younger Dryas period (about 12,900–11,700 years ago). However, this region was typically cold and drier, which means that lake levels were usually lower, and the conditions were not conducive to flooding. The submergence of structures on the shoreline was likely caused by rises in the later Holocene period. You really don’t need a lost 12,00 year old city submerged by a single great deluge to account for what has been discovered in the lake. You just need a lake surrounded by a certain environment and natural changes over time. Communities have built near the lake’s water for centuries, and many have been affected by the fact that it is a closed-basin lake.
At the end of the day, the link between these findings and Noah’s Ark seems to be based on the fact that these structures were found underwater and in relative proximity to a mountain with traditional ties to the Ark. While there may not be enough to make that association, it doesn’t make these discoveries any less fascinating. The shoreline fortifications provide insight into what life in the region during the medieval era may have been like. They also reveal how these same fortifications were subsequently submerged in a lake that has been subjected to various environmental factors through the years. Does that mean that all mysteries surrounding this area have been answered yet? No, it is actually the opposite. Every new discovery often raises more questions than it addresses, yet helps provide a clearer picture of the past and those who lived in it.
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