A team of evangelical Christian researchers say they've discovered Noah's ark near the peak of Mount Ararat in Turkey.
The group, from Noah's Ark Ministries International in Hong Kong, says its members "successfully excavated and ventured inside a large wooden structure" 4,000 metres above sea level.
Samples of wood taken from the structure were carbon dated to 4,800 years old, NAMI's website says, and Turkish government officials plan to apply for UNESCO World Heritage site designation.A healthy skepticism towards a claim like this is reasonable and warranted. But this comment by the sleepy (it's Canada AM) interviewer struck me as funny: "But it could have been anybody's ark!" The expression on the guy's face is priceless, as in, "I've just come up with a really, really good argument here -- why, the world is probably littered with arks resting on mountain tops, this could be anybody's!".
The Canadian archeologist interviewed seems like a really nice guy. Worth a look.
9 comments:
And when it comes out that this is either simply an abandoned shed, or (more likely) an outright hoax by cultists desperate to "prove" the claims of their superstition, are we going to see you eat any crow on your blog, Mr. Ball? If accounts are accurate, this is something like the 50th "true Noah's Ark" found, all of which have been discovered to be nothing of the sort.
Anon: Did you miss this: "A healthy skepticism towards a claim like this is reasonable and warranted."
I made no statement of belief whatsoever concerning the alleged find.
Noah's ark is a lovely little fairy tale.
Unless the truth is different from the story I don't know why they keep looking for it.
As told, it simply isn't possible.
If they have found something up there that carbon dates to 4800 years old then who gives a damn if it's an ark?
A 4800 y/o structure is of archeological value in and of itself.
As for the stupid idea that Kurdish workers dragged some wood up there. Yes, as we all know 4800 y/o timbers are available at any Home Depot.
And, yes, "It could have been anybody's ark" is an incredibly stupid thing to say, but forgive him. He's a Canadian journalist.
I saw this story several years ago and filed it under Interesting. I don't need to find Noah's ark to believe in Yahweh any more than I need to thrust my hand into His side to prove He is risen.
That being said it always interesting when archeologists find evidence that substantiates the historicity of the Bible. Older literature saying that Sodom and Gomorrah never existed was shown to be misguided speculation when a contract between the king of Sodom and an Egyptian Pharaoh was found. The same can be said of Ur, and even non Biblical accounts such as Troy.
To be brutally honest only an overwhelming amount of evidence will convince a non believer anymore than the lack of evidence will dissuade a believer.
The way this is being attacked simply because some people **MIGHT** view it with religious signifigance shows just how close minded the "born-again-atheists" are.
Any archeologist worth his degree would be doing ecstatic handsprings if he/she HAD POSSIBLY found a 4800 year old wooden structure intact or semi-intact.
It's not like some scientist is going to say "Oh well, it's just a bronze age building. Let's go home".
To say that because it's not the Biblical Noah's Ark then it's worthless is a completely stupid thought.
Anon -- not stupid, just thoughtless. I think the guy wasn't quite awake and just said the first thing that popped into his head. We could all make a mistake like this -- especially on live early-morning TV.
"Noah's ark is a lovely little fairy tale."
Jesus Christ spoke of the days of Noah and Noah entering the ark. If faced with having to choose following him, or following you, I'll stick with him.
"A 4800 y/o structure is of archeological value in and of itself."
That's what I thought!
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