I saw a Discovery Channel show on this, or something similar to this story at least. They used satelite mapping systems to get ultra-accurate terrain elevations, then flew over taking pictures and mapping it out. Then they spent some amount of time analyzing the maps, where they found unexplainable geographical anomoly on a mountain side (looking suspiciously like an overturned boat).

But that was theory, it does rely on that the majority of the wood would have fossilized instead of corroding due to the ravages of time.

When I was young, I use to think the ark was like a boat we know today, aft, stern, cabin, below decks. But based on a lot of research, historians theorize it was actually completely sealed much like a floating submarine.

Sir S

Edited by - Sir Spectre on 4/27/2004 7:22:25 PM

To keep the feed back on the physical, Just before the Bolsheviks took Russia, the ark was discovered, along with Pillow Lava, which scientist say can only be extruded under water, supporting the statement that Ararat was under many feet of water, as well as sea shells being found there too. I hope they find it.

A piece of timber was said to be found in 1955 on Ararat by a Fernand Navarra. The wood was est to be 4000 years or more.



Edited by - Finalday on 4/27/2004 7:36:37 PM

I think I saw the same thing as SS, I hope they find it as well! It's the only biblical story that I truly beleive.

Life: No one gets out alive.

Same here .....

Irregardless of religious significance (and not to debate the subject) it is documented fact that Jesus lived and he was persecuted. The Romans, as every great civilaiton had to, kept detailed records. He's a true Biblical story, it's just that people debate the significance of his story.

Sir S

I heard a russian expedition managed to get inside the ark.

I must have missed all of those documentaries; the CNN report was news to me! More likely, they didn't show them in Aus. Grrrr!!!

there is more historical evidence for the existance of jesus, his life, death and ressurection than there is for ceasers life and death. yell at me if you like, i dont care.

I think you mean "Caesar", and this isn't a discussion about the existence of Jesus! *Thwacks ff*

i didnt say it was *thwacks eskie*

I'm sure Eskie is psychic. He does this so often; my wife and me were only discussing this the other day.

I've had a fascination with the Ark of Noah for many years, and eventually in the early 80s when I was doing my wanderings, I got to Ararat itself.

It's big, and it's very remote. Must dig out some photos.

I didn't see any Ark, but the local tradition of it's presence and the sheer volume of eyewitness evidence over the centuries are difficult to ignore. Ok, much of this is just apocryphal and downright fraudulent, as the Ark legend has generated a lot of income over the years for the local population around Doyugabajazit, and like all "mysteries" there;ve been many charlatans in the past and of course in the present who make wild claims. But some of it isn't rubbish. I don't know what's up there, but there is something up there for sure, Ark or no Ark.

It's an odd place. Water flows uphill in some places (geological rarity claimed as miraculous) and the upper portions of Ararat are permanently encased in v. thick ice sheets. It has an unusual geography (don't forget it's actually two mountains) and has never been properly explored (due to its location on the borders of hostile nations)

It was believed by Ark researchers, both sensible and extreme, that the publication of US and Soviet reconnaissance satellite imagery would provide more details and some answers, but actually raised more questions than it resolved. It is hoped that a commercial satellite with more sophisticated equipment than those 70s and 80s Cold War cameras will be somewhat more fruitful in this respect.

As to this issue of bible stories as history, this is dangerous territory for any semi-serious historical researcher. I'll be fairly direct about this; if you go looking to find eveidence of bible stories with archaeology, you'll find some. Faith fills in the intellectual gaps and believers see what they want to see. So if you want truth, don't do that. However, if you go to the same place but keep an open mind and don?t go looking for stuff to "prove" faith, then it's rather incredible what can be found. Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's Cave, the Queen of Sheba's palace, all these things have been found, even (possibly) the lost Ark of the Covenant itself (Axum)

- Nice point by Sir S Just to add to that, the same records of Jesus' life and ministry and death were kept in the Tabularium in Rome from the time of EmperorTiberius until the time of the Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Emperor. When sometime after Constantine's death in the 4th C, the apostate pagan Emperor Julian sent for the same records, which he was going to publish to show that Jesus had been crucified by the Romans as a rebel, these records could not be found. Upon investigation by the agentes in rebus (secret police) it was discovered that the files had been removed during Constantine's time at that Emperor's request. And never were they returned, all trace has been lost forever. The only independent and objective record of Jesus' life and death, removed from history by the first Christian Emperor. True, that. Draw your own conclusions. But I don't want to get into a religious argument over it, it's just a statement of fact, not opinion.


Edited by - Tawakalna on 4/28/2004 11:34:17 AM

Finding the Ark will also give credibility to the fact that a flood, not an ice age, killed a lot of the animals. Like the wooly Mamath (sp) that was foung with grass still in its stomach. If a flood killed it, then the grass could be explained. But if a slower freezing happened, there would be no way to explain the grass, as in a ice area, no grass would be growing and the digestion of grass would have been a few hours. Not enough time to be frozen.

Update on the search from MSN Link

Edited by - Finalday on 4/28/2004 5:19:32 AM

I haven't got much more to add that hasn't already been said, except, congratulations on this year's most original thread (imho). I'm fascinated by this now, I'm off to find me some websites about it.

...ooh and Taw..."Ark of Noah", nice rearranging of words there, adds some spice

Here Endeth the Post of Gromit.

@Fd

The wolly mammoth was an Ice Age animal. The Ice Age didn't kill it, it helped it to succeed. The frozen remains (more than one) in Siberia that have been found are not believed to have been evidence of the a killing due to Ice Age freezing.