Mount Nemrut is a dormant volcano in Van province of east Turkey, near Lake Van in the Armenian Highlands. Nemrut is named for the biblical Nimrod. It's a source of Neolithic obsidian. The caldera, lakes, wildlife and mountain are protected.
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Nemrut is one of four major volcanoes of east Turkey, including Ararat, Tendürek and Süphan. They're located on a complex fault system along the boundary of the Arabian and Eurasian plates in the Armenian Highlands. Nemrut is westernmost of the four volcanoes.
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Nemrut's highest point is 2,948 m (9,672 ft) above sea level. The mountain sits along a volcanic alley of interconnected peaks. The chain includes Mount Ararat, where Noah may have left his ark. Nimrod is a great-grandson of Noah, or grandson of Sargon the Great.
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Atop Nemrut volcano is the largest caldera in Turkey, with two permanent crater lakes, Nemrut and Ili, and one seasonal lake fed by hot springs. With a width of 8 - 10 km (5 - 6.2 mi), the volcanic crater is the 4th largest caldera in Europe and 16th largest in the world.
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The most powerful eruptions of Nemrut occur in the Pleistocene Era, a wide range of c. 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago. Several small eruptions go off during the Holocene (11,700 years ago - today). The three latest are in 1441, 1597 and 1650 CE in the Middle Ages.
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The eruption of 1441 CE:
In 1441 a great sign took place, for the mountain called Nemrud, which lies between Kelath and Bitlis, suddenly began to rumble like heavy thunder. This set the whole land into terror and consternation, for one saw that the mountain was rent asunder to the breadth of a city; and from out of this cleft flames arose, shrouded in dense, whirling smoke, of so evil a stench that men fell ill by reason of the deadly smell. Red-hot stones glowed in the terrible flames, and boulders of enormous size were hurled aloft with peals of thunder. Even in other provinces men saw all this distinctly.
Armenian chronicle "Haissmavurk", Felix Oswald
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Eruption of 1597 CE:
In the northern part of this location there is a canal through which flows a dark water [basaltic magma]. It resembles the dark water which flows off the blacksmith's bellows and its weight is heavier than iron. It spouts upward and quickly flows down to the gorge. According to me, each year this water increases and decreases. It jets more than 30 zira and spreads around longer than 100 zira. And there it spouts out from several points [rift zone]. Whoever has the intention to separate part of this water will face great difficulties [hard basaltic rock].
Şerefhan Bitlisi, Şerefname 1597 CE
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Crater lakes form through collapse of a peak into a caldera, or volcanic explosions. They're filled with rain water and melt water, and can contain high levels of natural minerals or salt. A volcanic crater lake has a unique ecological biosphere.
Crescent-shaped Lake Nemrut covers the west half of the crater and is the biggest of the lakes. Fed by hot springs, it never freezes. Water is freshwater, clear and odorless. Drinking quality is good, but the lake is slowly getting saltier.
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Mount Nemrut is the youngest volcanic cone in Turkey. About 450 plant species are known in and around Nemrut Caldera, with 200 (44%) belonging to the region and 38% endemic. The variety of flora is due to past climate fluctuations.
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Tree species are diverse including juniper, willow, oak, aspen and spicy mahaleb cherry (Prunus mahaleb). Mahaleb is thought to be the Huluppu tree of goddess Inanna. Various species of buckthorn are found, as well as European mountain ash.
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Ground cover plants include steppe vegetation, vetch, sorrel and clover. Reeds are essential to lake ecology. The upside down tulip, Fritillaria imperialis, a type of lily, grows wild here.
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Griffon vultures nest at the caldera. It's also a special protected area as a breeding habitat for velvet scoters (Melanitta deglandi) aka velvet ducks, and golden eagles. The lake is a stopover for migrating birds. Bird species are down in number due to uncontrolled hunting.
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A group of vultures is called a kettle, committee or wake. The griffon vulture is a symbol of Egyptian Queens (Royal Wives). Other animals of the region include the bird species duck, partridge, bee-eater and Armenian gull.
Hares, foxes and brown bears are among the mammals inhabiting the Lake Nemrut region. The chamois, a small agile goat-antelope, is extinct in this area.
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Nemrut is a polygenic stratovolcano in the collision zone of the Arabian and Eurasian tectonic plates. African and Indian plates push them along. The continual movement of the plates stimulates the seismic and volcanic activity of the Lake Van region.
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At ground level, Lake Van itself is a volcanic caldera. Today it has no inflow or outflow and is fed by melt and rainwater. It's the largest soda (alkaline) lake in the world. Two species of fish live in Lake Van. Nemrut is a young volcano atop a very old one.
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Volcanic features in the area include hot springs feeding the seasonal and other lakes of Nemrut Caldera; fumaroles, vents and lava domes. Obsidian and olivine are formed in early eruptions. Neolithic occupants specialize in obsidian, creating the earliest trade routes.
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The collision of tectonic plates starts in the Middle Eocene (47.8 mya - 38 mya). The waters of the the Paratethys, a shallow sea, covers the region 34 mya. Today's Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Aral Sea, Lake Urmia, Namak Lake and others are remnants of the Paratethys Sea.
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Geologically youthful Nemrut is thought to be formed in the early Quaternary Period, about a million years ago. It shows greatest activity in the Pleistocene, with regular eruptions occurring in the Holocene up to present.
In the middle Pleistocene, about 250,000 years ago, a massive eruption creates a lava flow over 60 km (37 mi) long, which blocks the sole water discharge route from the Van basin to form Lake Van, the world's largest alkali endorheic (ie having not outflow) lake.
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In the same period, the conical top of the volcano collapses inward, forming a caldera of 8.3 × 7 km (5.2 x 4.3 mi) Over time, freshwater Lake Nemrut forms inside the caldera. Further eruptions separate small Lake Ili from larger Nemrut.
The name of the volcano is attributed to legendary Nimrod, who is known for the attempted construction of the Tower of Babel.
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Native [people] believe Nemruz used to spend summers on this mountain. For this purpose, he has a palace built at the summit. He lives here much of the time. He incurs the wrath of Yahweh. The god makes the mountain collapse and sink 1500 zira. This sinking creates a lake 5000 zira wide.
Şerefhan Bitlisi Şerefname, 1597
One zira is a cubit or 18 in (0.5 m). A natural cubit measurement begins between the thumb and outstretched finger and extends to the elbow.
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Recent studies point to the danger of possible future eruptions. Nemrut is near large centers such as Tatvan, Bitlis and Ahlat, about 135,000 people. The caldera also is at risk of flooding. Below, salt Lake Van is ecologically imperiled. The volcano is currently dormant.
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