Five Theories on the Real-World Location of the Garden of Eden

The article explores five scholarly theories for the geographical location of the Garden of Eden based on the biblical description in Genesis 2:10-14, which mentions four rivers: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates. The first theory places Eden in southern Mesopotamia near the Persian Gulf, linking it to the Sumerian paradise Dilmun. The second, proposed by archaeologist Juris Zarins in the 1980s, suggests Eden lies submerged under the Persian Gulf, where the Karun and a fossil river once met the Tigris and Euphrates before sea-level rise around 5000–4000 BC. The third theory locates Eden in the mountainous region of eastern Turkey, focusing on the sources of the Tigris and Euphrates near Mount Ararat and Lake Van Highlands, with nearby Göbekli Tepe as archaeological support. The fourth theory identifies the Nile Valley in Africa, equating the Gihon with the Blue Nile and linking the land of Cush to Ethiopia or ancient Kush, supported by the region's status as the birthplace of humanity. The fifth theory, advanced by historian David Rohl, places Eden near Tabriz in northwestern Iran, identifying the Gihon and Pishon as the Araxes and Uizhun rivers, with Mount Sahand as the Mountain of God and Kusheh Dagh as the land of Cush. The article notes that the Garden of Eden also functions as a theological symbol of perfection and fall from grace.