A geological discovery has uncovered what researchers describe as a previously unknown chapter in the history of a river linked to one of the Bible’s most enduring stories.
The Euphrates River is named in Genesis as one of four waterways flowing from the Garden of Eden, the paradise where Adam and Eve are said to have lived.
Despite its central role in biblical tradition and the rise of the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, scientists have long been unable to determine exactly how the river first formed.
For decades, evidence of its origins remained hidden beneath layers of sediment and obscured by millions of years of tectonic upheaval.
Now, researchers said they have solved the mystery, reconstructing the ancient history of the waterway for the first time.
The team pieced together the river’s past using seismic imaging, satellite observations, geological mapping and sediment deposits buried beneath the Mediterranean Sea.
Their analysis revealed that two enormous rivers, known as the Paleo-Karasu and Paleo-Murat, once flowed separately across what is now Turkey and Syria before powerful geological forces altered their course.
By around 1.6 million years ago, the waterways had merged and begun flowing toward the Persian Gulf, creating the modern Euphrates.
For decades, evidence of the river’s origins remained hidden beneath layers of sediment and obscured by millions of years of tectonic upheaval
The Euphrates River, the longest waterway in Western Asia, flows through the Fertile Crescent, a region often called the cradle of civilization because it was home to some of humanity’s earliest societies.
Its eastern branch, known as Mesopotamia, contains the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
These two rivers created an oasis of fertile soil in an otherwise arid region, which helped ancient civilizations such as the Sumerians and Assyrians flourish some 6,000 years ago.
Despite the Euphrates playing a central role in the success of these early civilizations, the origins of the 1,900-mile-long river have until now remained enigmatic.
Some researchers previously proposed that the Euphrates evolved from a single river that flowed into the Mediterranean Sea or into ancient lakes in what is now Turkey, while others suggested it evolved from a river ending somewhere on the Arabian Peninsula.
The new study, published June 1 in Nature Geoscience, allowed researchers to reconstruct the river’s evolution over millions of years.
The analysis suggested the Paleo-Murat River first appeared more than 16.5 million years ago, while the Paleo-Karasu developed between about 8.6 million and 5.9 million years ago.
During this period, both rivers flowed into a series of poorly connected lakes south of the North Anatolian Fault rather than forming part of the modern Euphrates system.
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Their analysis revealed that two enormous rivers, known as the Paleo-Karasu and Paleo-Murat, once flowed separately across what is now Turkey and Syria before powerful geological forces altered their course
The Garden of Eden (Pictured) was described in the Book of Genesis as a paradise where the first humans, Adam and Eve, once walked before committing the first sin
Around 5.3 million years ago, a major geological event transformed the Mediterranean region.
The connection between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean became restricted near what is now the Strait of Gibraltar, causing much of the Mediterranean Sea to dry up.
As water levels dropped dramatically, the eastern Mediterranean fell by as much as one to 1.3 miles. However, the researchers estimated that a drop of at least 2,600 feet would have been enough to produce the changes seen in their model.
The sudden lowering of sea level caused rivers across the region to cut deeper into the landscape as they adjusted to the new conditions.
At the same time, tectonic forces tilted parts of Anatolia and reactivated ancient faults, accelerating erosion and increasing the amount of sediment carried toward the Mediterranean.
Many have dismissed the Garden of Eden as a myth, but now, resurfaced satellite images have suggested that the story may have a very real geographical basis
The researchers believe these changes may have caused large lakes in the Anatolian highlands to suddenly burst through their natural barriers, unleashing catastrophic floods.
They suggested two major geological formations, known as the Handere and Nahr Menashe deposits, may have been created by these enormous flood events.
Similar processes may have occurred elsewhere around the Mediterranean.
The team pointed to a giant ancient river deposit off the coast of Libya, known as the Eosahabi fan, which may also have been formed when rivers rapidly eroded the landscape in response to falling sea levels.
Over millions of years, continued tectonic activity altered the courses of the Paleo-Murat and Paleo-Karasu rivers until they eventually merged around 1.6 million years ago, forming the modern Euphrates River.
