A group of underwater photographers, divers, and researchers recently discovered a strange castle at the bottom of a large lake. They uncovered a 3,000-year-old stronghold concealed beneath the sea in Turkey’s eastern Van Province while diving in Lake Van.
Tahsin Ceylan of Van Yüzüncü Yl University, the project’s leader, was first scouring the lake for another legend – the terrifying Lake Van monster. Even if he hasn’t spotted the monster, discovering a historic castle is thrilling.
“There was a rumor that there might be something under the ocean,” Ceylan told the Daily Sabah. However, the rumor was genuine. The team’s efforts were eventually rewarded after nearly a decade of seeking.
The castle is around 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) long, with walls that rise to 3 to 4 meters (10-13 feet). Fortunately, the lake’s alkaline qualities have preserved it in good shape.
The castle is assumed to date from the Urartu culture, which lived during the Iron Age, because it is mostly built of cut stones. It peaked during the 9th and 6th centuries BCE. The civilization is also known as the Kingdom of Van.
The Lake’s water levels have varied dramatically over the last few thousand years, so numerous cultures could have lived there when it was shallower than it is now.
“Many civilisations and people had established themselves around Lake Van,” Ceylan told Hurriyet Daily News. “They called the lake the ‘upper sea,’ and they thought it held many mysteries. With this conviction in mind, we are attempting to uncover the lake’s “secrets.””
The team has discovered more than just the castle submerged beneath the ocean. In fact, they discovered 4 square kilometers (1.5 square miles) of stalagmites last year, which they dubbed “underwater fairy chimneys.” They even discovered 1,000-year-old gravestones. They discovered a Russian ship thought to have sunk in 1948 this year.
“Finding this castle underwater is a miracle. Archaeologists will visit to investigate the castle’s history and provide information “Ceylan elaborated.
There is still a lot to learn about the castle. For example, it’s still uncertain how deeply the walls are buried in the lake’s sediment. Learning more about the stronghold may reveal new information about the people who built it.
“We feel we have identified a new location for archaeologists and historians to investigate,” Ceylan stated.
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