Over the years, I have heard many discussions and inevitably, rumors, about shorelines with archaelogical remains of structures, located deep within the Black Sea.

I’ve never had time to seriously research this, although it’s been so long and I still think about it, so I decided to research more into it.

There is actually a theory on how this flooding came to be, and it sounds very interesting and plausible.

I’ve heard about and also read many articles about the shipwrecks deep within the black sea, although there is still nothing I’ve found about structure remains at those deepest levels where the original lake/sea shoreline is.

If any of you have any more information, it would be interesting to hear from you and discuss it in more detail!

It turns out there is a lot I have to learn still about Balkan history, even that which isn’t related to people…

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The Black Sea deluge hypothesis, proposed in 1997 by William Ryan, Walter Pitman, and their colleagues, suggests that a catastrophic inflow of Mediterranean seawater into the Black Sea freshwater lake occurred around 7600 years ago, circa 5600 BC[1]. This hypothesis has been the subject of debate and controversy. It is based on the idea that a significant flood event occurred, leading to the flooding of the Black Sea, which, in turn, may have inspired flood narratives in various cultures. The hypothesis has been supported by some researchers but questioned by others, and alternative theories to the origin of the flood narrative have been proposed[2][3].

The Black Sea is known for its well-preserved ancient shipwrecks due to its deep, anoxic* waters, which have led to the preservation of numerous vessels, some of which are over 2,000 years old[5]. (*A condition in which the aquatic (water) environment does not contain dissolved oxygen (DO), which is called an oxygen deficient condition.)

The evidence used to support this scenario includes the disparate ages of sapropel* deposition in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea, buried back-stepping barrier islands observed on the Black Sea shelf, and an underwater delta in the Marmara Sea, near the Bosporus Strait, composed of Black Sea sediments[7]. (*Sapropel mud is a unique organic substance from freshwater lakes.)

However, the hypothesis has been controversial, and there are reasons to be skeptical. Some work has suggested that the younger of the flood events were actually pretty small, and there does not appear to be any supporting archaeological evidence of a major flood. Additionally, opponents of the deluge hypothesis point to clues that water was flowing out of the Black Sea basin, and the magnitude and pace of the water level rise have been questioned[6][7].

In summary, while the Black Sea deluge hypothesis has been supported by certain geological evidence, it has also faced criticism and skepticism, particularly regarding the magnitude and archaeological evidence of the proposed catastrophic flood event.

Opponents of the Black Sea deluge hypothesis point to several pieces of evidence that challenge the idea of a catastrophic flood. These include clues that water was flowing out of the Black Sea basin as late as 15,000 years ago, the absence of supporting archaeological evidence of a major flood, and the suggestion that the magnitude and pace of the water level rise have been questioned[11]. Additionally, some studies have indicated that the younger flood events may have been relatively small, and there is a lack of supporting archaeological evidence for a major flood[12]. Furthermore, the interpretation of geological features, such as former shorelines and beach dunes, has been questioned, leading to skepticism about the magnitude of the proposed deluge[15]. These criticisms and alternative interpretations have contributed to the ongoing debates surrounding the Black Sea deluge hypothesis.

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Sources:

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sea_deluge_hypothesis
[2] https://shop.minimuseum.com/blogs/cool-things/revisiting-the-black-sea-deluge-hypothesis
[3] https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/102lv45/black_sea_deluge_hypothesis_is_there_any_truth_to/?rdt=45691
[4] https://www.icr.org/article/was-black-sea-deluge-flood-noah
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Black_Sea_shipwrecks
[6] https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/102lv45/black_sea_deluge_hypothesis_is_there_any_truth_to/?rdt=35071
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sea_deluge_hypothesis
[8] https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/102lv45/black_sea_deluge_hypothesis_is_there_any_truth_to/?rdt=45691
[9] https://shop.minimuseum.com/blogs/cool-things/revisiting-the-black-sea-deluge-hypothesis
[10] https://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/noahs-not-so-big-flood/
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sea_deluge_hypothesis
[12] https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/102lv45/black_sea_deluge_hypothesis_is_there_any_truth_to/?rdt=45691
[13] https://shop.minimuseum.com/blogs/cool-things/revisiting-the-black-sea-deluge-hypothesis
[14] https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/102lv45/black_sea_deluge_hypothesis_is_there_any_truth_to/?rdt=35071
[15] https://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/noahs-not-so-big-flood/