Noah’s Ark nestled on Mount Ararat
Pastor Dale Morgan
Noah’s Ark nestled on Mount Ararat*
Web posted at: 1/19/2008 5:50:44
Source ::: The Peninsula / BY SATISH KANADY
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”.