Associated Press

WASHINGTON—Artifacts found at the bottom of the Black Sea porvide new evidence that humans faced a great flood, perhaps that of the biblical Noah, thousands of years ago, the discoverers say.

Remnants of human habitation were found in over 300 feet of water about 12 miles off the coast of Turkey, undersea explorer Robert Ballard said Tuesday.”

There’s no doubt about it, it’s an exciting discovery,” Ballard said in a telephone interview from his research ship.

Fredrik Hiebert of the Uiversity of Pennsylvania, chief archaeologist for the Black Sea project, said from the ship, “This find represents the first concrete evidence for the occupation of the Black Sea coast prior to its flooding.”

Last year Ballard found indications of an ancient coastline miles out from the current Black Sea coast. His new discovery provides evidence that people once lived in that now inundated region.

Ballard, a National Geographic Society explorer in residence, said he had studied shells found along the ancient coastline and found two types. One group is an extinct type of freshwater shell, while the second is from saltwater shellfish.

The saltwater shells date back 6,500 years, while the freshwater shells all date to 7,000 years ago and older.

The Wichita Eagle - Wed. Sept. 13, 2000