Submerged Iron Age structural remains around an islet located in the depths of Lake Van in eastern Türkiye are becoming increasingly visible day by day.
Drone footage clearly reveals a well-defined urban layout in the area, with the remnants believed to date back to the Urartian period. As the water level continues to decrease, the historical and natural artifacts lying at the bottom of the lake are rising to the surface.
This phenomenon, particularly the emergence of ancient settlement areas and old structures, holds significant importance for the region's history and culture. Reduced rainfall and increased evaporation have led to a decline in the lake's level.
Professor Necmettin Elmastaş, rector of Bitlis Eren University (BEÜ), emphasized that these underwater structures need to be dated by relevant experts. In a statement regarding the issue, Elmastaş said: "In recent years, serious droughts have occurred in some areas due to global warming. We can see the effects of this drought in the Lake Van basin as well. Over the past three to four years, there has been a significant decrease in rainfall, leading to a serious drop in water levels. After these levels have decreased, some microbiolites at the bottom of the lake have come to the surface. Additionally, remnants of ancient settlements have also emerged or are about to emerge.
"It is essential to conduct serious research on these areas. Relevant experts, such as historians or those working on settlement areas, need to carry out studies here. This indicates that the lake's water level was lower at some point. This suggests that the lake level had previously risen. These remnants need to be dated by relevant experts. We can see some remnants with the naked eye along the shores from Tatvan to Ahlat and then to Adilcevaz."
Cumali Birol, the president of the Adilcevaz Upper Sea Association, noted that they had first discovered the underwater structures around the islet along Ahlat's coastline. He stated: "News has been published claiming this area has been newly discovered with a name change. In fact, that is not true; this has been a known location."
Birol invited experts from the Underwater Archaeology Department at Selçuk University in Türkiye to conduct necessary examinations here. "We encounter traces of settlements almost along every shore of the Lake Van basin. We can see that this area, where houses are located, harbored many civilizations. We had already made shares about the places we saw in 2007, which were at a depth of 29 meters. The lake had not receded as much then. New findings will emerge."
"We had previously conducted underwater filming here, but today we see that the water is receding even more, about 3 meters. Factors such as global warming, climate change and irresponsible water usage contribute to this receding. We hope not to contribute to the drying of Lake Van in this area, because Lake Van is very valuable to us. It harbors many mysteries underneath. We can also observe that many civilizations have lived here."
"We have encountered many traces of life at Adilcevaz Castle, including the Urartians, Seljuks and Persians; therefore, these traces of life have left marks from every civilization over time. This is the essence of cultural heritage and value. We can see traces from the Seljuks to the Ottomans. Regardless of which civilization or entity they belong to, all historical artifacts under the flag of the Republic of Türkiye belong to Türkiye."
Birol added: "We must protect these and take ownership of these values. We have filmed this area underwater, and we saw different civilizations beneath, people lived there; there are roads, gardens, and columns of houses that still stand."
"Additionally, we saw troughs and mortars. We even encountered a round stone wheel. Researching this is up to universities and our esteemed professors. There is an Underwater Archaeology Department at Selçuk University in Türkiye. They need to come and examine it. We continue to discover findings through our sports diving activities," he added.
