The waters receded, revealing 3000 years of history.

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In the Adilcevaz district of Bitlis, the retreat of Arin Lake, which hosts many bird species, has revealed the remains of a 172-meter-long pier wall, believed to date back to the Urartian period, approximately 3000 years ago.

Due to rising temperatures, drought, and unconscious agricultural irrigation, the water level in Arin Lake, which covers an area of 13 square kilometers at the foot of Mount Süphan, continues to decrease.

In the volcanic dam lake, which is also a resting area for migratory birds, the remains of the pier wall and various structures, believed to have been built during the Urartian period, have become visible due to the meters of retreat experienced in the coastal areas.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hasan Buğrul, a faculty member of the Department of Art History at Bitlis Eren University, examined the pier and structural remains with accompanying academics.

"IT MAY HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER PIERS AROUND LAKE VAN"

Buğrul stated to AA correspondent that they encountered a 172-meter-long wall and structural remains during their preliminary examination at Arin Lake.

Explaining that they also conducted a preliminary examination in another village on the Arin coast to determine the connections of the wall and remains, Buğrul continued:

"We found that there is no port in that village. Considering the significant rise in water levels in Lake Van during the 1990s, the idea arises that the pier, which has emerged due to the retreat of water in this lake, may have a connection with other piers around Lake Van. In our various studies, we have observed that Lake Van has retreated at different times, that there are piers from the Urartian period, and that some tombstones from the Karakoyunlu and Seljuk periods have also emerged. With examinations to be conducted by academics in the geology and archaeology departments, we can explain why this pier was built. If this pier is connected to the pier found in Van, it suggests that the obsidian material used in structures from the Urartian period may have been transported from here."

"THE ROWS HAVE ALMOST NOT BEEN DISTURBED"

Buğrul noted that chemical analysis of the obsidians and scientific studies related to the rising levels of the lake need to be conducted, reminding that the distance between Arin Lake and Lake Van is 1150 meters.

Considering this short distance, Buğrul assessed that the two lakes may have merged during the Urartian period and stated:

"Taking into account that limestone (a natural stone belonging to the limestone group) and rubble stones were used in the construction of the pier, we think that this structure may belong to the Urartian period. In the structures that have emerged, we observed a long wall and remains of different sizes in the water, likely to prevent the flow of water inside. To gain information about these structures, it is necessary to enter the water and examine them on-site. We see that this wide structure was built to prevent the flow of water inside when the lake level rises. The collapsed wall is not high. The rows have almost not been disturbed and show a wavy form.

If the wall belonged to a high structure, there would be stone accumulations when it collapsed. Due to the topography of the region, it is evident that during the Urartian period, transportation and communication were actively conducted over the lake rather than by land, establishing an important network over the lake between Erciş, Gevaş, Tatvan, Ahlat, and Adilcevaz. We assess that this pier was also built during that period."