Posted on 02/17/2008 5:05:48 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Dogubayazit (Turkey’s Iran-Armenian Border) • For the first time in the seven decade-long history of the search for the legendary Noah’s Ark, a Turkish-Hong Kong exploration team on Tuesday came out with “material evidence”, to prove that the Ark was nestled on Mount Ararat, Turkey’s highest mountain peak bordering Iran and Armenia.
A panel of experts, comprising Turkish authorities, veteran mountaineers, archaeologists, geologists and members of Hong Kong-based Noah’s Ark Ministries International, also displayed an almost one-metre-long peice of petrified wood before the media and specially invited international experts.
The experts claimed it to be a part of a long structure they had unearthed during their February-August 2007 exploration. “It is for the first time in the history of the Ark search that an exploration team is getting a material evidence and graphic documentation. This makes it not only a the significant breakthrough in the Ark-search, but one that is supported with the most substantial evidence in recent history,” the panel said.
The revelation is expected to open up a fresh chapter in the ongoing debates in the scientific community on the search for Noah’s Ark.
Narrating the genesis of their exploration on Mount Ararat, the mount which has a direct reference in Holy Quran (Mount Judi) and Bible, the panel said the search team had made several foiled attempts before unearthing the evidence at an altitude of 4,500-metres of the estimated 5,165 metre volcanic mountain.
“The structure was discovered in the interiors of an unusual cave. The 11.5m wide and 2.6m high white wooden texture was revealed after removing thick layers of volcanic ash on the cave wall,” panel members said at a press conference.
One of the underlying issues in the search for the Ark is the proper identification of its wood fragments. A petrographic examination carried out by the Applied Geoscience Centre of the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Hong Kong, identified the object as a petrified wooden structure, the panel said.
“Some of the big holes found on the structure indicate the locations where branches used to grow on tree. In places, original holes are partly or completely replaced by individual minerals and crystalline materials that can be found in rock materials,” said Dr Ahmet Ozbek, a panel member, who is also a faculty of Geology Engineering Kahramanmara Suctcu Imam University.
Dismissing the possibilities of the structure being wood that could appear naturally around the discovery site, Professor Oktay Belli, director, Eurasian Archaeology Institute, University of Istanbul, said researches have proved that there was no vegetation on Mount Ararat ever since 2000BC, because of the asperities of Ararat’s climate.
Talking to The Peninsula, Cemalettin Demircioglu, Dogubayazit City Governor, under whose jurisdiction the mount is located, said the civic body will invite more international experts to conduct further scientific studies on Mount Ararat.
“History has more than one times corroborated the legendary evidence that the ark was nestled on Mount Ararat. We will introduce the latest findings to the world and continue the scientific study. All interested scientists and NGOs can join our missions” he said. However, he said, those who are involved in the project must ensure the findings are not used politically, religiously, or for any vested interest.
Located in the Far Eastern Turkey, Ararat is great prize for mountain collectors. Ark sighting has often been reported from this mountain. The observation of Vessel-shaped features in aerial photograph of Ararat had caused a stir in the late 1950’s. However, this is the first time an exploration team is coming out with “material evidence”.
The area is rugged, and populated with fierce folk who answer only to themselves, and not Turkish law.
This is kind of amazing, too ... but encouraging, in a way.
I don’t recall accepting any outrageous contention you put forth.
susie
I had posted on this thread that I had ridden out the flood on an ice floe.
It’s all in keeping with my contention that I’m older than dirt.
Older than *rocks*, Bob. Older than the *hills*!
I read it and passed it off as nonsense! ;)
susie
I’m bored with this.
Lot was in trouble with God for incest.
David’s son who raped his daughter was too.
If you really want me to get into an indepth explanation of it, I will, but don’t presume that God backs incest. People lived for hundreds of years before the Flood, and there weren’t that many of them when you only have two to begin with.
But you know this is true, you are just picking a dumb fight. Save it for Obama/Clinton. The two gay candidates who have a pact not to out one another.
You should have more respect for your elders.
If you’re older than me, you must be really old. In which case I can probably outrun you!!
susie
Pah! I hardly even acknowledge rocks or hills. They're so ephemeral.
No if it was dog would...it would...(I can’t believe I’m saying this)...BARK!
Why ever would you do that? I'm almost completely harmless.
(Pay no attention to that lengthy list of people who used to bother me but don't anymore.)
Be careful, I like reptiles.....
susie
Woof, this is one of those times to be careful not to point a finger of derision at yourself. As I'm certain others will post on this thread, there is PLENTY of well documented evidence that wood can indeed petrify in very short periods of time. If you don't believe that, check it out.
Contrary to what you might believe, Christians embrace science, not fear it.
MM (in TX)
?????Me too. They taste like chicken.
Plato' s mother became pregnant through a virginal conception: Ariston tried to force his attentions on Perictione, but failed of his purpose; then the ancient Greek god Apollo appeared to him in a vision, and, as a result of it, Ariston left Perictione unmolested.[9] Another legend related that, while he was sleeping as an infant, bees had settled on the lips of Plato; an augury of the sweetness of style in which he would discourse philosophy.[10] Ariston appears to have died in Plato's childhood, although the precise dating of his death is difficult.[11] Perictione then married Pyrilampes, her mother's brother,[12] who had served many times as an ambassador to the Persian court and was a friend of Pericles, the leader of the democratic faction in Athens.[13] Pyrilampes had a son from a previous marriage, Demus, who was famous for his beauty.[14] Perictione gave birth to Pyrilampes' second son, Antiphon, the half-brother of Plato, who appears in ParmenidesOoh I love a good tale...it has a Virgin Birth, incest, near rape and a god's intervention...sound familiar?
Uh...yeah!
Some undoubtedly do.
susie
That could lead to some interesting real estate transactions.
We haven’t been hungry enough to eat our lizards or snake yet :-).
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