3,000-year-old fortress discovered in Turkish lake
The Independent
Harry Cockburn
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A lost 3,000-year-old castle has been discovered by divers and researchers in Turkey’s Lake Van.
The spectacular ruins are thought to be those of a fortress built by the Uratu civilisation which flourished in the iron age between the 9th and 6th centuries BC.
The discovery was made by archaeologists from the Van Yüzüncü Yıl University working with a team of divers.
In an interview with Turkey's newswire service Andalou Agency, underwater videographer and head of the diving team, Tahsin Ceylan explained that other divers and archaeologists familiar with the lake advised the team they were unlikely to find much in the water.
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/3000-year-old-fortress-discovered-in-turkish-lake/ar-BBFwzgW?li=BBnbfcL
Underwater castle discovered at the bottom of biggest Lake Van in Turkey
By Staff on November 18, 2017
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“We have shared all these findings with the world. Today, we are here to announce the discovery of a castle that has remained underwater in Lake Van. I believe that in addition to this castle, microbialites will make contributions to the region’s economy and tourism. It is a miracle to find this castle underwater. Archaeologists will come here to examine the castle’s history and provide information on it,” he said.
Ceylan said the castle most likely belonged to the Urartian civilizations, as the stone structure in the castle was made up of cut stones mostly used by the Urartians.
“The walls of this castle cover a wide section. The excavations need to be done underwater but we don’t know how deep the walls are. A three to four meter wall section can be seen and the castle ruins cover an area of one kilometer. Since the water of Lake Van is alkaline, the castle has not been damaged and has kept its characteristics underwater. We have detected the castle’s exact location and photographed it and have made progress in our research. We now believe we have discovered a new area for archaeologists and historians to study,” Ceylan said.
Akkuş said when the lake waters withdrew, civilizations had established big villages and settlements around Lake Van.
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http://www.webtopnews.com/underwater-castle-discovered-bottom-biggest-lake-van-turkey-5052-2017/
Mysterious 3,000-Year-Old Underwater Urartu Castle Discovered
AncientPages.com | November 22, 2017
AncientPages.com – While searching for the frightening Lake Van monster, scientists made a great archaeological underwater discovery instead. Ruins of a mysterious 3,000-year-old castle have been found in Lake Van, Turkey.
The underwater ruins are supposedly from the Iron Age Urartu civilization, also known as the Kingdom of Van, thought to date back to the eighth to seventh centuries B.C.
“There was a rumor that there might be something under the water but most archaeologists and museum officials told us that we won’t find anything,” the head of the diving team Tahsin Ceylan said, adding that they proceeded with the research and discovered the ancient castle.
The lost kingdom of Urartu is shrouded in mystery because very little is known about this ancient place and the origins of its people. The Hebrews referred to it as Ararat and in more modern times it has been named Kingdom of Van.
More:
http://www.ancientpages.com/2017/11/22/mysterious-3000-year-old-underwater-urartu-castle-discovered/
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