International Study Launches to Test Noah's Ark Claims at Turkey's Durupınar Formation

An international, multidisciplinary research project has begun to examine the Durupınar Formation in the Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı Province, Turkey, a site long claimed to be the remains of Noah's Ark. Coordinated by Prof. Dr. Cenker Atila of Sivas Cumhuriyet University’s Department of Archaeology, the study involves roughly 20 scientists and students from five countries and receives technical support from the U.S.-based organization Noah’s Ark Scans.

Field work runs from 29 June to 11 September 2026 and employs high‑resolution GPS mapping, two‑ and three‑dimensional digital modelling, ground‑penetrating radar, and core‑drilling to search for wood or skeletal material. The project also has the approval of Turkey’s Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Nature Conservation Directorate.

The aim is to assess, with scientific data, whether the formation’s dimensions and composition correspond to the biblical description of the Ark, and the results will be published in a dedicated monograph and three peer‑reviewed papers.