Gobblergetter2.1
06-30-2006, 01:47 PM
Archaeologists: We Found Noah's Ark
Exploring more than 13,000 feet high in the rugged Elburz mountain range northwest of Tehran, a team of archaeologists from Texas believe they have found the remains of Noah's Ark. "I can't imagine what it could be if it is not the Ark," Arch Bonnema of the Christian-based Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration (Base) Institute, told ABC News.
The black wood thought to be the remains of Noah's Ark sticks out in stark contrast to the rest of the mountain. (Photo: Base Institute) (http://portal.compuserve.com/wrap/linker.asp?floc=wn-wm&ref=http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/images/articles/ark15.jpg)
The team found the object nestled on the side of a hill, but at first they didn't think it was the Ark. Still, they wondered--and hoped. "We found something that has my heart skipping a beat," archaeologist and team leader Robert Cornuke told ABC. "It wasn't impressive at first. Certainly didn't think it to be Noah's Ark. But when we got close, we were amazed. It looked similar to wood." On the downside, it wasn't all that distinctive since it looked very much like the deck of a modern boat.
Here is a close-up shot of the petrified wood found high atop a rugged mountain range in Iran. (Photo: Base Institute) (http://portal.compuserve.com/wrap/linker.asp?floc=wn-wm&ref=http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/images/articles/ark14.jpg)
The Bible gives the only clues:
--It is located in the mountains of Ararat, which theologians say is hundreds of miles long. Although many have thought the ark, if it were to be found at all, would be on Mount Ararat in Turkey, the Base Institute team says the Iranian location is consistent with the Bible's geographical evidence.
--The Ark is 300 cubits by 50 cubits, which is large enough to rival the size of a small aircraft carrier. This discovery fits that size and scale. "It is provocative to think that this could be the lost ark of Noah," Cornuke told ABC.
--The Ark is made of gopher wood. This is the big gotcha. No one knows what gopher wood is!
This photo shot atop the Elburz mountain range takes a longer view than the one above. (Photo: Base Institute) (http://portal.compuserve.com/wrap/linker.asp?floc=wn-wm&ref=http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/images/articles/ark11.jpg)
What they found is about 400 feet long and consists of rocks that look remarkably like blackened wood beams while other rock in the area is distinctively brown, according to a news release issued by the Base Institute. One visible piece is "cut" at a 90-degree angle. Even more intriguing, some of the wood-like rocks were tested just this week and actually proved to be petrified wood. Go to the Bible and you'll read that Noah sealed his ark with pitch, which is a black substance. Upon being cut open, one of these "rocks" also divulged a marine fossil that could have only originated undersea.
See how the wood blends in with the mountaintop. (Photo: Base Institute) (http://portal.compuserve.com/wrap/linker.asp?floc=wn-wm&ref=http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/images/articles/ark12.jpg)
Why do so many want to find the ark? "There's this idea, if we can prove that the ark existed, then we can prove that the story existed, and more importantly, we can prove that God existed," Bruce Feiler, author of "Where God Was Born," explained to ABC.
Two tiny silver scrolls bearing a verse from Numbers were found in a tomb near Jerusalem. They've been proven real. Find out what that means. (http://www.wmconnect.com/news/package.jsp?name=fte/priestlybenediction/priestlybenediction&floc=wn-wm)
Can it be proven that this really is Noah's Ark? The team took some of the physical evidence to labs in Texas and Florida for scientific analysis. Team leader Cornuke says he is cautiously--but enthusiastically--optimistic about the find.
Exploring more than 13,000 feet high in the rugged Elburz mountain range northwest of Tehran, a team of archaeologists from Texas believe they have found the remains of Noah's Ark. "I can't imagine what it could be if it is not the Ark," Arch Bonnema of the Christian-based Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration (Base) Institute, told ABC News.
The black wood thought to be the remains of Noah's Ark sticks out in stark contrast to the rest of the mountain. (Photo: Base Institute) (http://portal.compuserve.com/wrap/linker.asp?floc=wn-wm&ref=http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/images/articles/ark15.jpg)
The team found the object nestled on the side of a hill, but at first they didn't think it was the Ark. Still, they wondered--and hoped. "We found something that has my heart skipping a beat," archaeologist and team leader Robert Cornuke told ABC. "It wasn't impressive at first. Certainly didn't think it to be Noah's Ark. But when we got close, we were amazed. It looked similar to wood." On the downside, it wasn't all that distinctive since it looked very much like the deck of a modern boat.
Here is a close-up shot of the petrified wood found high atop a rugged mountain range in Iran. (Photo: Base Institute) (http://portal.compuserve.com/wrap/linker.asp?floc=wn-wm&ref=http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/images/articles/ark14.jpg)
The Bible gives the only clues:
--It is located in the mountains of Ararat, which theologians say is hundreds of miles long. Although many have thought the ark, if it were to be found at all, would be on Mount Ararat in Turkey, the Base Institute team says the Iranian location is consistent with the Bible's geographical evidence.
--The Ark is 300 cubits by 50 cubits, which is large enough to rival the size of a small aircraft carrier. This discovery fits that size and scale. "It is provocative to think that this could be the lost ark of Noah," Cornuke told ABC.
--The Ark is made of gopher wood. This is the big gotcha. No one knows what gopher wood is!
This photo shot atop the Elburz mountain range takes a longer view than the one above. (Photo: Base Institute) (http://portal.compuserve.com/wrap/linker.asp?floc=wn-wm&ref=http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/images/articles/ark11.jpg)
What they found is about 400 feet long and consists of rocks that look remarkably like blackened wood beams while other rock in the area is distinctively brown, according to a news release issued by the Base Institute. One visible piece is "cut" at a 90-degree angle. Even more intriguing, some of the wood-like rocks were tested just this week and actually proved to be petrified wood. Go to the Bible and you'll read that Noah sealed his ark with pitch, which is a black substance. Upon being cut open, one of these "rocks" also divulged a marine fossil that could have only originated undersea.
See how the wood blends in with the mountaintop. (Photo: Base Institute) (http://portal.compuserve.com/wrap/linker.asp?floc=wn-wm&ref=http://www.worldviewweekend.com/secure/cwnetwork/images/articles/ark12.jpg)
Why do so many want to find the ark? "There's this idea, if we can prove that the ark existed, then we can prove that the story existed, and more importantly, we can prove that God existed," Bruce Feiler, author of "Where God Was Born," explained to ABC.
Two tiny silver scrolls bearing a verse from Numbers were found in a tomb near Jerusalem. They've been proven real. Find out what that means. (http://www.wmconnect.com/news/package.jsp?name=fte/priestlybenediction/priestlybenediction&floc=wn-wm)
Can it be proven that this really is Noah's Ark? The team took some of the physical evidence to labs in Texas and Florida for scientific analysis. Team leader Cornuke says he is cautiously--but enthusiastically--optimistic about the find.