The discovery of Noah’s Ark

There has been much debate as to whether this is the original resting place of Noah’s Ark, however we present the below information as it seems a lot of things are lining up:

In 1959, Turkish army captain Ilhan Durupinar identified an unusual shape while analyzing aerial pictures connected with his country (the image in black and white above. Photograph: Life Magazine Sep 5, 1960) The smooth shape, larger than a football field, stood out from the rough and rugged surfaces at an elevation of 6,300 ft near the Turkish border near Iran. The image resembles a boat shape similar to the sunken World War 1 warships seen in the left hand side of the image above. This is the exact location where it is recorded that Noah’s ark rested in the Bible:

“And the Ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.” Genesis 8:4-5

In 1977  Ron Wyatt visited the site after gaining official authorization, and conducted more in depth research over a period of several years. Wyatt and his team used metal diagnosis surveys, subsurface radar tests, and chemical evaluation, with very exciting results. Metal content was found to be contained inside petrified specimens from the boat shaped formation. This strongly indicated that this object was man-made and assembled with metal type fittings. The distance from bow to stern was 515 feet, or exactly 300 Egyptian cubits and the average width was 50 cubits – the exact measurements mentioned in the Bible.

(Image attribution: Mfikretyilmaz)

“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. …make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high...Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” Genesis 6:11-22

On the right side the stern there were four vertical bulges protruding from the mud, at regular intervals, that were determined to be the “ribs” of the hull. Ground Penetrating Radar beams microwaves into the ground and when the microwaves hit something solid, they bounce back and take a reading. It then prints off the results on a piece of paper. The delay and strength of the echo, tell geologists the depth and how solid the object is. Lines were marked out which crossed the ship with yellow tape before they commenced the radar tests. When they got a strong echo back, meaning something very solid was underneath they would record the position on the tape. A map was created with their findings and it was confirmed that they were indeed standing on top of a man made structure buried in the mud! (See the green radar scan results in the main image above: image courtesy of the Ron Wyatt Estate)

“This data does not represent natural geology. These are man made structures. These reflections are appearing too periodic… too periodic to be random in that type of natural space.” said Ron Wyatt of SIR Imaging team.

Images shown above are tapes showing the positions of the metal readings, the rivet specimen, the specimen of material containing organic carbon retrieved from the site. (All images courtesy of the Ron Wyatt Estate)

Many artefacts were retrieved from the ark and sent to a laboratory for further analysis. A bore hole, petrified animal dung, a petrified antler and lastly a piece of cat hair was found. They also dug up a large petrified wooden beam, that consisted of 3 planks glued together with organic materials oozing from the layers similar to the process of creating plywood by lamination which makes wood stronger. The outside of the wood appears to have been coated with bitumen.

Tests by Galbraith Labs in Knoxville, Tennessee, showed the sample to contain over 0.7% organic carbon, consistent with fossilized wood proving that the specimen was once living matter. Even more surprising were laboratory analyses which not only revealed that the petrified wood contained carbon (proving it was once wood) but there were iron nails embedded in the wood. The team also found large disc shaped rivets with a metal detector. An analysis of the metal used to make the rivets revealed that they were a combination of iron (8.38%), aluminium (8.35%) and titanium (1.59%). These trace metals have survived petrification and so do not indicate the exact content in the original material. (see Report from Galbraith Labs)

The images above are a three dimensional view of the ark (Image credit: John Larsen http://noahsarkscans.nz/) and a Drogue Stone (ancient anchor) with crosses engraved into it. (Image credit: Robert C. Michelson on en.wikipedia in conjunction with the SEPDAC Corporation)

We know the aluminium was incorporated into the metallic mixture because this metal mixture does not exist like this naturally. What we see is an extremely advanced knowledge of metallurgy and engineering. Characteristics of an iron-aluminium alloy have been investigated in The Russian Chemical Bulletin (2005) and reveal that this alloy forms a thin film of aluminium oxide which protects the material from rust and corrosion. The addition of titanium would provide added strength – this seems to have worked as these rivets have survived from antiquity!

The accounts of Noah, the flood and the ark are recorded in many different languages and ancient texts and all for a good reason – because it was a real historical event proven first through historical records and archaeology and now through scientific analysis of the archaeological evidence.

“…God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” 1 Peter 3:20-22