Posted on 04/29/2010 6:48:14 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Despite the notable lack of significant evidence, the media and the blogosphere are abuzz over the cries of a team of Chinese and Turkish explorers who claim that the wooden structure they found on Mount Ararat in Eastern Turkey is none other than Noah’s Ark.
Experts in history, archaeology, and bibliology, meanwhile, are making note of the claim but not taking the bait.
They say they’ve heard the cries before and will need a lot more than the confirmation of 4,800-year-old wood to take the claims seriously.
“Periodically, there are announcements, almost always by enthusiasts without real background in archaeology, about the discovery of Noah's ark somewhere in Turkey,” says Dr. Aren M. Maeir, a professor at Israel’s Bar Ilan University and director of the Tell es-Safi/Gath Archaeological Project.
“As with other fantastic discoveries relating to biblical archaeology coming from non-professional archaeologists (location of Mt. Sinai; the Egyptian army in the Red Sea; the deciphering of the Copper Scroll, etc., etc.) these announcements are quite suspect, since the full information is never published in ‘real’ scientific journals, and all one gets to see are the media announcements and website info,” he adds.
On Sunday, the team from Noah’s Ark Ministries International (NAMI) that explored Mount Ararat announced at a press conference that the wood specimens they had retrieved last year from the “large wooden structure” they discovered more than 4,000 meters above sea level were found to be 4,800 years in age – a figure that would correspond with the time of Noah, based upon a literal reading of the Bible.
Backed by Turkish government officials and his group’s own set of experts, NAMI representative Man-fai Yuen said, “We believe that the wooden structure we entered is the same structure recorded in historical accounts and the same ancient boat indicated by the locals.”
“The search team has made the greatest discovery in history," added Dr. Oktay Belli, an archaeologist at Istanbul University. "This finding is very important and the greatest up to now.”
According to Belli, there has never been human settlement above 3,500 meters on Mount Ararat, which has long been considered the location of where Noah’s Ark settled following the receding of the flood recorded in the Bible.
In Genesis 8, it is recorded that “the ark rested upon the mountains of Ararat.”
“Mount Ararat is a holy place and has rich historical accounts about Noah’s Ark on the mountain,” said Belli on Sunday. “Many people have searched the mountain for the holy Ark. This time’s discovery is the first serious search that the team found a wood structure under ice.”
Also present at the press conference was Dutch Ark researcher Gerrit Aalten, the head of NoahsArkSearch.com, who claimed “there’s a tremendous amount of solid evidence that the structure found on Mount Ararat in Eastern Turkey, is the legendary Ark of Noah.”
Among the “many details” Aalten listed were the height at which the structure was found, the “slightly tilted” way it was situated on the mountain, its “reddish/brown wood appearance,” and its “very dark, long and rectangular” appearance.
The structure, he said, is “very solid and of high quality.”
Dr. Eric H. Cline of George Washington University, however, says the structure could be anything.
“The problem with going out specifically to find a particular object, such as Noah’s Ark in this instance, is that one frequently finds what one is looking for, whether there is any merit to it or not,” the archaeology professor told The Christian Post on Wednesday.
“[A]ll that we know at the moment is that the expedition members are showing us pictures and samples of a structure made out of wood. It could be ancient, it could be medieval, it could even have been constructed last week. Even carbon-14 dating will only tell us how old the wood is; it will not tell us when the structure was constructed,” he commented.
That’s not to say, however, that the respected archaeologist is ruling out the find. But like many others, he’s waiting for the results of more independent and comprehensive probing.
Even New Earth creationists at the Christian apologetics ministry Answers in Genesis said they “will withhold judgment until further study.”
“Over the decades, we have learned to be cautious about such Ark claims,” it reported Tuesday.
But the ministry said has “no doubt, however, that there once was a massive Ark that served as a vessel of salvation during a global Flood and landed on the mountains of Ararat, as recorded in the book of Genesis.”
Bar-Ilan University’s Maeir, meanwhile, said he “seriously doubt[s] this one (find) is real.”
“[W]hen and if the finds are published in a full and comprehensive manner, one will truly be able to assess it,” he told The Christian Post. “Meanwhile, it joins many other such discoveries - and sound quite hard to believe.”
According to NAMI’s announcement Sunday, the ministry will invite other scientists to participate in the search and study of its discover, and is committed to uncovering the truth behind it.
They read and signed a cooperation agreement in which they agreed to collaborate with any further probing of their discovery, noting that their results “are of significance to the whole world in that humankind should cherish its common beliefs and origins.”
“We believe that the discovery of Noah’s Ark will resolve centuries of national ideological conflict. We are dedicated to working towards a better, peaceful world,” they stated.
Randall Price was quoted on another thread (an email) saying it’s a hoax and raising questions about the organization.
That is because it makes Christians look foolish.
I think the argument is NOT that there is no structure up there. There is.
The argument is and has always been this — WHAT IS IT ?
Most skeptics argue that it was a habitat built many years ago ( not necessarily 5000 years ago as claimed by some flood archeologists ).
A monastery seems to be the most favored theory I’ve read thus far.
Well, we know it wasn't constructed last week. I've been seeing pictures of this for years. Whether it is Noah's Ark or not, I cannot say. But it's big, it's on top of a mountain, and it's been there for more than a week.
Nothing new there, Christians always look foolish to those who aren't Christians:
1 Corinthians 1:18 - 18For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (NASV)
If Christ Himself was mocked and ridiculed (Matt. 27:40; Mark 15:30; Luke 23:37; Luke 23:39) Christians can expect the same treatment.
And btw: Christ taught Noah was a real person and the flood was a real historical event (Matt. 24:37-38; Luke 17:26-27) as did other writers of the New Testament (Heb. 11:7; I Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5)
Back before 1868 nobody believed that Troy was a real city either, it had become relegated to the land of myth and make believe along with all of the rest of the tales of the Iliad and the Odyssey. But in 1868 along comes archeologist Heinrich Schliemann and unearths the city that wasn't supposed to exist. Therefore you shouldn't be surprised if at some point in time somebody does find some archeological evidence to support the flood story being real, its obvious this time wasn't it, but that doesn't mean the evidence might not be found someday. Instead of being quick to ridicule others for their beliefs, try reading the Scriptures a bit first, otherwise you might end up like Noah's neighbors.
The “contructed last week” part is clearly an attempt at sarcasm.
There has to be a scientific way of approximating its age.
Could be, then again maybe not. The ark's wood might not have been usable for later building. Remember Genesis tells us that it was coated both inside and outside with Pitch. (Gen. 6:14).
pitch 1 (pch)- n. - 1. Any of various thick, dark, sticky substances obtained from the distillation residue of coal tar, wood tar, or petroleum and used for waterproofing, roofing, caulking, and paving.
Ever seen something that's been coated with that stuff? There weren't any recycling plants around to get the pitch off and make it usable, so I'm not convinced there is much they could have done with it. Plus even without the pitch in consideration, the wood would have been water soaked as well and may not even have been good to use as firewood. So I think the jury is still out on that one.
Exactly. No responsible archaeologist, Christian or not, would dare make this kind of an announcement without mountains of proof to back it up.
And typically, discoveries are couched in careful language: the structure we found *is consistent* with a 4000 year old date/a boat/etc.
You found Noah’s Ark? Great. Now get some professional archaeologists up there and let’s see if it withstands scrutiny.
A better example than Troy would be Nineveh. The ONLY place it’s existence was recorded was the Old Testament. People thought it was a myth until they actually dug it up.
I wasn’t ridiculing anyone’s belief. I was explaining why the secular press always picks this Noah stuff up and runs with it. It’s not because they think someone actually found his barge.
To actually be able to see and touch the wood that very likely could be from the Ark is a giant leap ahead in supporting the fact that the story of Noah did actually happen. And why would that discovery be so important? Because of all the stories in the Bible that non-Christians and week Christians doubt the most, Noah's Ark is near the top of the list. Find evidence that there was a giant boat in the mountains of Ararat matching the size described in the Bible, and its will be a major wake-up call for millions, who will have to look at the Bible as more than just a collection of ancient folk tales - but a true recording of events that actually happened.
But still you will have doubters. They could find the ships log itself, with a feeding schedule for the animals, and fossilized piles of zoo doo and you will not shake awake those asleep.
Yeah, forgot about Nineveh. Good point.
Randall Price is a good guy, honest and truthful, he has no reason to lie on this one and everything to gain if it were 'truly' the ark so I kinda have to go with him on this one - even though it IS disappointing to say the least.
Which only goes to prove I guess that should someday the real ark be discovered its going to be a case of trust but verify.
I agree with you though that you could find it, have it 100% proven, a ship's log, etc. etc. and many would still not believe. Sad but true.
My objection to this subject is that it is irrelevant to the Gospel and has nothing to do with what God wants us to be doing in the world today.
I respectfully disagree. Noah's story is 1) The horrible consequences of sin 2) God's Holiness and judgment 3) Salvation. Peter agreed. See 2 Peter 3:1-9.
Noah serves as a reminder that God hates sin and that he will judge sin. The ark serves as a reminder that God also provides an escape if we will trust Him and His provision. The ark shows us that God's promises are sure, and that He will preserve (save) those who will trust in Him. Those who refuse to trust Him will perish. Noah put his trust in God's promise through the ark, we put our trust in Christ's finished work on the cross.
Genesis is the foundation for the Gospel. If Genesis is a myth, then we have no reliability that anything else in the New Testament is anything less than myth. BUT.....if Genesis is true, and we have the past to point towards...look what God did....then we can trust everything He has given us in the New Testament....look what God will do yet future.
If the Noah story wasn't important God wouldn't have given it to us to begin with, if it wasn't important Christ wouldn't have mentioned it, neither would the Apostles.
If I've misunderstood you, and its not the story of Noah that's irrelevant in your view, but merely the discussion of finding the ark you may have a point. Finding the ark isn't going to change the hearts and minds of those who don't believe. That much is obvious watching the many freepers mocking this discovery over the past few days on the various threads. BUT, should the ark ever truly be found, I believe it will strengthen the faith of those who already DO believe and may bring about more boldness in them to witness to others more, which is precisely what God wants us to be doing in the world today. That's a good thing.
Despite the notable lack of significant evidence, the media and the blogosphere are abuzz over the cries of a team of Chinese and Turkish explorers who claim that the wooden structure they found on Mount Ararat in Eastern Turkey is none other than Noah’s Ark.Experts in history, archaeology, and bibliology, meanwhile, are making note of the claim but not taking the bait.
Maybe they'll find something someday. I suspect they won't, nothing more than the remains of an ancient settlement. The ark would have been likely disassembled for building materials.
These things come by every few years, and have for a long time. "This time for sure Rocky."
Similar to "we're in teh endtimes!" excitements.
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