The largest known early world map may have pointed to the resting place of Noah’s Ark for nearly 440 years.
Created in 1587 by Italian nobleman and cartographer Urbano Monte, the massive Planisphere stretches nearly 10 feet wide when fully assembled and is packed with elaborate illustrations of continents, mythical creatures and unexplored lands.
Hidden within the map is a small depiction of Noah’s Ark resting on the mountains of Ararat in modern-day Turkey, the same region many believe still hides the legendary vessel.
The striking detail has sparked fascination because the Bible states in Genesis 8:4 that the Ark came to rest on the ‘mountains of Ararat’ after the Great Flood.
Some online viewers were stunned by how closely the illustration appears to align with the mysterious Durupınar site.
Independent researcher Jimmy Corsetti wrote online: ‘The same location as the Durupinar site, virtually the exact same length. Coincidence?’
Researchers have investigated the site since the 1970s, hoping to determine whether the formation is a natural geological structure or the remains of the biblical Ark.
A team currently scanning the region recently claimed to have identified hidden chambers and tunnel-like spaces beneath the earth using ground-penetrating radar.
Hidden within the map is a small depiction of Noah’s Ark resting on the mountains of Ararat in modern-day Turkey, the same region many believe still hides the legendary vessel
Just 18 miles south of Mount Ararat, Turkey’s tallest peak, the Durupınar Formation emerged less than a century ago
Monte created the map during the height of the Age of Exploration, when European cartographers were rapidly redrawing the known world following voyages to the Americas and Asia.
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Unlike most maps from the 16th century, the Planisphere was designed from a north polar perspective, placing the Arctic at the center of the world.
The enormous map consists of 60 separate hand-drawn sheets that can be assembled into a single circular image measuring nearly 10 feet across.
It is filled with elaborate illustrations of ships, sea monsters, mythical creatures and detailed notes describing distant lands and cultures.
Historians believe Monte was inspired to create the map after a Japanese delegation visited Milan in 1585, exposing Europeans to new global perspectives.
The original manuscript is now housed at Stanford University’s David Rumsey Map Center, where it was digitally restored and made available online.
The depiction has drawn attention because it places Noah’s Ark on the mountains of Ararat centuries before modern researchers began searching the region for evidence of the biblical vessel.
The Bible recounts Noah’s Ark resting on the ‘mountains of Ararat’ after a 150-day flood submerged the Earth, sparing only those aboard the wooden vessel.
Created in 1587 by Italian nobleman and cartographer Urbano Monte, the massive Planisphere stretches nearly 10 feet wide when fully assembled and is packed with elaborate illustrations of continents, mythical creatures and unexplored lands
A team of American researchers working at the Durupınar Formation near Mount Ararat uncovered evidence of hidden tunnels as described in the biblical account
Biblical measurements describe the ark as 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high – that’s approximately 515 feet long, 86 feet wide and 52 feet tall.
The measurements of the formation in Turkey appear to match those given in the Bible.
Located just 18 miles south of Mount Ararat, Turkey’s highest peak, the Durupınar Formation has only been known to the modern world for less than a century.
According to local reports, heavy rains and earthquakes in May 1948 washed away the surrounding mud, revealing the mysterious formation. It was then discovered by a Kurdish shepherd.
What is even more intriguing is that the formation sits near a mountain with a peak that some believe matches the ark’s shape and dimensions.
According to biblical measurements, the ark was ‘300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high,’ roughly 515 feet long, 86 feet wide and 52 feet tall.
Archaeologist and amateur researcher Ron Wyatt first visited the Durupınar site in eastern Turkey in 1977, claiming the boat-shaped geological formation was the remains of Noah’s Ark.
In 2024, researchers identified angular structures as deep as 20 feet beneath the surface, features that could represent rooms below a deck-like platform
Decades later, in 2019, the Noah’s Ark Scans team began exploring the mysterious mound with modern technology to peer deep below the surface.
The idea that the ark landed on Mount Ararat has long sparked debate. While many scientists argue that the formation is a naturally occurring geological feature, others are convinced it points to something far more extraordinary.
The team at Noah’s Ark Scans firmly believes the latter.
The team recently announced the discovery of hidden tunnels as described in the biblical account.
Andrew Jones, an independent researcher with Noah’s Ark Scans, used ground-penetrating radar to uncover a network of ‘corridors’ converging on a hollow central chamber he dubbed the atrium.
Jones linked the discovery to the Bible’s description of the Ark, which states the boat contained three internal levels built to shelter Noah, his family and pairs of animals.
The researchers added further studies using infrared thermography (IRT), a heat-sensing technology that can uncover hidden structures underground, have also suggested the presence of a ship-shaped hull buried deep in the soil
‘God told Noah to bring the animals in. And so these animals would have stayed there, plus Noah and his family,’ Jones told GB News.
‘What’s interesting is that these voids are lining up below the ground – and they’re not just random. These tunnels also follow a pattern. GPR is just a way to look below the soil using radar.’
He added further studies using infrared thermography (IRT), a heat-sensing technology that can uncover hidden structures underground, have also suggested the presence of a ship-shaped hull buried deep in the soil.
