Archaeological Discoveries — Full Article

Noah's Ark Found!

How it all began

The Noah's Ark site became prominent in the late 1950s when high altitude photography revealed a boat shaped object in the mountains of Ararat. Although dismissed by some, on the 11th September 1959, while studying around 10000 aerial photographs, Captain Ilhan Durupinar from the Turkish army, noticed the boat shaped object. Believing that the shape of the object could not have been formed by nature, and after calculating the length and the width, he concluded that the boat shape was possibly the remains of Noah's ark.

The following year an expedition was sent into the Ararat Mountains , and the boat shaped object which had been identified in the aerial photograph was located. The report of their findings was later published in Life Magazine on the 5th September 1960. Having read the Life Magazine article in 1960, Ronald E. Wyatt, an anesthetist from Tennessee, believed that the site required further investigation. In 1977, Ron Wyatt began what become several trips to the site conducting various experiments to determine what it was. The results were spectacular, using ground penetrating radar, metal detectors and core drilling a massive man made structure was revealed at this remote site over 6000 ft high in the mountains of Ararat.

Ron had discovered several anomalies proving it was not a naturel feature. And laboratory testing confirmed this. A wood type specimen resembling deck timber contained organic carbon, indicating that the object was not made of rock, but was once composed of living material consistent with petrified wood and was by further investigation determined to be laminated wood. A metal object shaped like a large rivet was surrounded by what appeared to be an equally large metal washer. It was an Alloy found to be composed of a complex alloy of metals, including Aluminum and Titanium metals not indigenous to the area. Neither Aluminum nor Titanium are found in their pure states in nature, and both these metals can only be produced by a complicated refining processes. Also, such Alloys have not been able to be produced until recent times. In addition, fossilized animal dung and antlers were extracted from inside the boat shaped object. And massive drogue stones ( stabilizers) were found all over the region.

Needless to say the Turkish government became interested in these findings and following inspections by Archaeologist and other scientists a commission was convened to consider the evidence. The official conclusion was that the site did contain the remains of Noah's Ark. Further investigation into the whole region revealed a cache of evidence that linked post flood settlements to the site. The Turkish Government established an visitors center beside the site and declared it a national park inviting Ron to the dedication.

Further investigations.

In late 2014, the Turkish government granted permission to John Larsen from New Zealand, to scan the buried remains of this boat shaped object, using the latest deep penetration Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) ground imaging technique. The entire work of scanning the Ark took nearly three weeks.

Ten longitudinal scans were accomplished, where each scan covered the entire length of the ship. Then three additional cross section scans were performed which included the ground around the ship. All of the data was then compiled into a 3d file and combined with the topographic survey results which John Larsen processed using the latest EarthImager 3d software.

Resistivity imaging is a technique that was developed during the 1920's, for deep oil and mineral exploration. The data obtained from a resistivity scan contains hundreds of individual measurements of the resistance of the subsurface ground material at different positions and depths, without the need for excavation. Different materials have different electrical properties. Any variations in the composition of the material beneath the ground, can be identified by the resistivity of each of the materials and the change in resistivity at the boundaries between two different materials. The results are then displayed using a specific colour for each level of resistivity on the images that are produced. These tests produced an image of the Ark showing the variation in resistivity throughout the ship and the ground around it.

The first image penetrated 34.8 metres below the ground, which is well beyond the 8 metre range of the radar scans. This image verified that the boat shaped outline of the hull that is seen above the ground, also continued beneath the ground and had the shape of a gigantic ship. When the hull shape is viewed in three dimensions, the resistivity images show that the front section which lies beneath the ground, resembles the form of a ship which has the shape of a deep hull design.

THE THREE INTERNAL DECKS

The Bible tells us that God commanded Noah to build three stories within the Ark.

"WITH LOWER, SECOND, AND THIRD STORIES SHALT THOU MAKE IT." (GEN 6:16).

And sure enough the resistivity scans revealed three distinct flat surfaces that have the appearance of internal deck floors. These deck floors have a different level of resistivity compared to the infilling material that lies between the decks. This indicates that the material that composes each of the deck floors is different to the material that occupies the space between each deck. The resistivity scans show that the deck floors extend across the entire width of the ship, and are orientated parallel to each other.

The uppermost deck surface is seen as a layer of material with a thickness of approximately 3.2 metres, which equals exactly 6 cubits in the ancient measurement system. The middle layer measures 4.7 metres in thickness, (9 cubits), while the third and lowest flat surface can be seen positioned at the bottom of the inside surface of the hull shape.

At the rear end of the middle deck, a wall can be seen positioned at 90 degrees to the deck floor. A 3d view of the front of the Ark with the outer hull material made transparent, shows part of the upper deck floor with the middle deck space beneath it.

THE BIBLICAL DIMENSIONS OF THE ARK -THE LENGTH OF THIS SHIP IS 300 CUBITS

The ancient cubit measurement which Noah would have used in constructing the Ark, measured 20.6 inches (0.522 metres). This was the standard unit of measurement for both the civilizations of Egypt and Chaldea, which were established by the descendants of Noah after the flood.

God commanded Noah to construct the Ark with specific dimensions which are recorded in Genesis 6:15.

"AND THIS IS THE FASHION WHICH THOU SHALT MAKE IT OF: THE LENGTH OF THE ARK SHALL BE THREE HUNDRED CUBITS, THE BREADTH OF IT FIFTY CUBITS, AND THE HEIGHT OF IT THIRTY CUBITS." (GEN 6.15).

The Biblical description of the size of the Ark does not say whether these measurements are to be understood as either the internal or external dimensions. However the internal cargo capacity was the most essential measurement from a construction perspective, which Noah required. The internal length of this ship when measured with a tape measure, and then with a Leica laser surveying instrument was found to be exactly 300 cubits.

THE WIDTH OF THIS SHIP IS 50 CUBITS

The structure was at some time impaled on a large rock and this rock has penetrated the right side of the ship, the hull has become distorted and the right side has bulged outwards. This makes the present shape of the ship appear to be wider than it really is. The resistivity scan image across the widest section of the ship, shows the damaged and broken rib structure on the right side. The subsurface resistivity images of the central area of the ship identify that the right side of the hull has broken away from the main section of the ship and moved outwards forming the bulge.

The intact section of the hull which includes the left side and centre of the vessel, can be seen here to be considerably more resistive than the separated section of the right side. This would be expected in a timber ship that has become damaged, as it would almost certainly have cracked the hulls structure around the impact zone, making it more permeable to water and increasing its conductivity.

A reconstructed view of the resistivity image, shows the broken section of the hull on the right side, moved back into its original position, and joined onto the main section of the hull. The internal width of the ship in this reconstructed image can be seen to be in the order of 50 cubits, (26.1 metres)

THE HEIGHT OF THIS SHIP IS 30 CUBITS

If the length (300 cubits), and width (50 cubits), are the internal dimensions of the Ark, then the measurement of its height should be found to be equal the vertical internal measurements of the heights of each of the three decks combined.

The heights of each of the 3 deck spaces from the floor to the ceiling are:

UPPER DECK = 3.2 METRES (6 CUBITS).

MIDDLE DECK = 4.7 METRES (9 CUBITS).

BOTTOM DECK = 7.8 METRES (15 CUBITS).

THE TOTAL HEIGHT = 3.2+4.7+7.8 =15.7 METRES = 30 CUBITS

Each of the dimensions of the length, width and the three individual deck space heights, as well as the thickness of each of the deck floors, equate to an exact whole number of cubits, with no fractions of a cubit. This is further evidence that this ship is man-made and constructed at a time when the cubit measurement was used.

THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TIMBER SHIP OF THIS SIZE EVER BUILT DURING THE EARTH'S HISTORY, EXCEPT THE ARK THAT GOD COMMANDED NOAH TO MAKE.

THE CENTRAL STAIRWAY

A large area of high resistivity exists near the centre of the ship, which is approximately 40 metres in length. When Ron Wyatt scanned this area with the Ground Penetrating Radar, he found what he believed was a central corridor in this location which he calculated was 128 feet long (39 metres). The radar images showed that this area did not have any wall structure, which is confirmed by these resistivity images.

The bottom edge which forms the floor of this area of high resistivity, slopes downwards on a 35 degree angle relative to the decks of the ship. The shape of this area is consistent with a central stairway which connects the upper, middle and bottom decks. The high level of resistivity indicates that this area could be an open cavity inside the ship. Halfway down this stairway shaped area, at the same level as the floor of the middle deck, the angle of this stairway area flattens out to the same angle as the middle deck floor. This forms what appears to be a horizontal landing. The angle of the stairway shaped area's floor then resumes, and descends down towards the floor of the bottom deck. There are no other structures or walls within the stairway shaped area, and its orientation is aligned perfectly with the lengthwise direction of the ship.

THE INTERNAL CAVITIES

In addition to the stairway shaped cavity, the resistivity images identity that other smaller room sized areas of high resistivity exist within the ship, which could be smaller open cavities. The red areas on the image below, show these areas of high resistivity, with the large central stairway area in the centre.

THE RIB STRUCTURE OF THE ARK.

At the rear (stern) of the ship, there is material that has the shape of a massive rib, which is attached to the central keelson. On the composite resistivity image below, which is superimposed onto a photograph of the Ark, the rib shaped material and keelson are both displayed as a blue colour. A contour map of the resistivity image, shows that the contour lines pack tightly around the boundary of the rib shape. This indicates that a very sudden change in material properties exists at this boundary between the rib shape material, and the material that is attached to the outside edge of the rib.

When a 3d view of the resistivity image of the rib shaped material, is combined with a photograph of the ship that is taken from the same angle, the position of the rib at the back of the ship can be seen, as well as another rib further towards the middle of the ship. The massive size of the rib shaped material which surrounds the inner hull structure, and the central keelson, are both proportional with the overall size of the ship. Where the rib shaped structure remains in its original position within the areas of the hull that are still intact, the rib shaped material is seen to be symmetrical on both sides of the vessel.

The inner and outer surfaces of the rib shaped material have a semi-circular profile. The resistivity of this material increases towards the inside edge of the rib, which is consistent with a material such as timber that has a varying degree of either moisture, or petrification within it. Petrification is the process of mineral replacement of the original material, with the minerals from the surrounding mud that it is embedded in. The surface of the material which is exposed to the petrifying process will naturally begin to petrify first. However the parts of the timber that are more protected, remain in their original form for longer.

The different levels of mineral replacement throughout the material is just one possibility for the variation that is seen in the electrical resistivity of the material, which does not seem to be affected by depth.

THE MATERIAL OF THE HULL SHAPE IS DIFFERENT TO THE ROCK

The resistivity images show that the hull of this ship is sitting on top of an object which has a different electrical resistivity than the material of the hull. This indicates that this object is made of a different type of material than the hull shape. This object has the appearance of a rock upon which this ship has become impaled.

THE SURFACE ROCK IS NOT PART OF THE HULL SHAPE

The loose surface rock that is seen lying on top of this ship, has a sharp and very distinct boundary all around it. The surface rock is very dry and cracked, which makes it exhibit a very high level of resistivity. The distinct boundary around the surface rock can be seen on the contour resistivity image below, where the contour lines of the resistivity pack tightly around the area where the loose surface rock is located. This sudden change in resistivity also shows that the hull shape of the Ark is made of a material that is very different from the exposed rock. The surface rock has the appearance of being a foreign body of material that has fallen on top of the hull shape at the point of impact where the hull is damaged.

SUMMARY

The results of the resistivity scans found that this object has the shape of an immense ship buried beneath the ground. The material composing the hull of this ship has a completely different resistivity value compared to what appears to be the rock beneath it. Within this object are three flat layers which have the appearance of decks, and the internal dimensions of the length, width and height of this ship were found to be identical to the dimensions found in the Bible, which describe Noah's Ark.

The three dimensional shape of this object and the presence of petrified timber and metal rivets within the hull, are not features that can be explained by natural rock erosion. Each of these pieces of evidence prove that this object is a man-made structure of ancient origin.

In the history of the earth there is only one ship which has ever been constructed with all of these features:

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