Claim of 11,700-year-old building in Lake Van: Is it a lost city?

Lake Van, which is located in Eastern Anatolia and is the largest lake in Turkey with a surface area of ​​3 thousand 713 square kilometers, is now on the world agenda with the claim of a lost city. American researcher Matthew LaCroix, who dived in Lake Van, announced that the circular structure 9 meters under the water and the 2.4-meter-high wall consisting of interlocking stone blocks 23 meters below the water are at least 11,700 years old and that they may be parts of a lost city. LaCroix stated that there are steps around the monumental structure at a depth of 9 meters, which appears as a perfect circle when viewed from above.

Reaching into the dark

According to the statement, it was noticed in the video that the straight wall, consisting of 3 steps and 7 rows of stone masonry rising towards the circular structure, extends into the darkness for more than 45 meters in the water. According to LaCroix, the history of the structures in question may date back to 40 thousand years. Because scientists know that Lake Van had an outlet to the west in the past, but volcanic activities on Mount Nemrut during the Pleistocene period changed the geology of the region and the drainage system of the lake. LaCroix also argues that the structures must have been built before these volcanic activities. Based on geological estimates that volcanic eruptions blocked the old outlet of the lake and flooded the structures, the researcher believes that the dating may extend back to 40 thousand years ago.

Stone with 'Flower of Life' motif

The history of the discovery of structures in Lake Van dates back to 2017. Turkish underwater cinematographer Tahsin Ceylan came across the stone structures while researching microbiolite formations and pearl mullets in the lake. A stone structure and circular formations were seen in the region, and a capstone with a symbol reminiscent of the six-armed "Flower of Life" motif was identified. Ceylan later dived in the region again in 2025 with underwater researcher Cumhur Şalın and LaCroix. However, according to the researchers, the importance of the tall stone wall was not realized during the dive; LaCroix examined the videos in detail and brought the lost city claim to the world's agenda.

Medieval structure?

Since the area around Lake Van has a rich settlement history dating back thousands of years, some researchers suggest that the walls and structures under the lake may belong to the Urartian Kingdom, which ruled in the region 3 thousand years ago. Another possibility is that some of the buildings were built in the Middle Ages. Experts also evaluate that older Urartian stones may have been reused in medieval structures. For this reason, the buildings are likely to contain materials from different periods.

Visibility is very limited

The biggest problem in examining the ruins is the limited visibility in Lake Van. Since the lake does not have a natural outflow, sediment in the water severely limits visibility. According to LaCroix, the time when divers can obtain clear visibility is limited to a few hours between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m. LaCroix said that he, too, was able to stay in the circular structure at a depth of 9 meters for only 8 minutes. Researchers think that the stagnant water in the lake protected the structures.

Is there a connection with Noah's Ark?

International research is being carried out in the Durupınar formation near Mount Ararat, which is located in Eastern Anatolia and is the highest mountain in Turkey with an altitude of 5 thousand 137 meters, with the claim that it may be Noah's Ark. Lake Van is located to the southwest of this formation, whose silhouette resembles a ship. Lake Van, which is a volcanic barrier lake formed by the closure of the Nemrut Volcano as a result of its eruption, is located approximately 145 kilometers away from Mount Ararat as the crow flies.