Researchers appear to have uncovered a new twist in the biblical tale of Noah's Ark, as an ancient lake near the supposed ship's resting place houses some important secrets.
Archaeologists, scientists, and scholars are constantly challenging and uncovering new secrets surrounding religious tales, to the point where some researchers have been able to pinpoint the 'real life' equivalent of Adam and Eve hundreds of thousands of years into the past.
Recent discoveries have continued to illuminate our understanding of iconography such as the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant as new information is found, yet we could be on the fringes of uncovering the secrets behind another of the Bible's most important stories.
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Even those not well verse in biblical history will likely be aware of Noah's Ark, as its chronicle of a great flood and paired animals is one of the most universally recognizable stories across the world.
One research team could be on the verge of discovering new information near where many believe the Ark to be laid to rest, and it even had the potential to rewrite key parts of the Bible.
What have researchers found in relation to Noah's Ark?
As reported by the Daily Mail, discoveries led by independent researcher Matt LaCroix appear to indicate the existence of an 'ancient lost city' hidden underneath a lake just a short 150 miles from where Noah's Ark is believed to be.
While nobody has ever found concrete evidence of the Ark's existence, many agree that it would be located around Mount Ararat in Turkey, which is in close proximity to our ancient city at the bottom of Lake Van.
There remain numerous conflicting theories surrounding this city, LaCroix believes it to be the effect of a great flood that likely inspired or linked the tale of Noah's Ark, and that it all happened between 12,000 and 14,500 years ago.
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The city itself is around half a mile wide and roughly 85 feet below the water level, featuring intricately designed stone buildings that also have what's known as the 'Flower of Life' symbol engraved onto them. This symbol is typically associated with sacred sites across Peru and Bolivia.
How was this ancient city submerged underwater?
When it comes to the event that plunged this city underwater, LaCroix believes it to be the aftermath of a volcanic eruption sourced from the nearby Mount Nemrut, which is believed to have happened around 12,000 years ago.
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He intends to prove this using geological data found around the city at the bottom of the lake, as the eruption theoretically caused water levels to rise dramatically, plunging the structures into the deep abyss.
"It's not that Lake Van would have had to have been 85 feet lower," LaCroix explains, "it would have had to have been more like 100 feet lower or more, because these ruins are 85 feet deep. So, what could account for a lake rising over 100 feet?"
He also suggests that further research into the city could illuminate the existence of a global ancient civilization, as there appear to be a number of architectural similarities that would persist across Europe, Asia, and South America in this suggested time period.