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Turkey’s
beautiful Mt. Ararat.
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Floods
have always been a part of human existence. Seasonal floods
increase soil fertility bringing nutrients as they also gave birth
to the agricultural revolution and the first permanent human
settlements on the riverbanks of Africa and Asia (NASA p.1-3).
There is one flood, however, that continues to intrigue
adventurers and scientists alike.
A
Story Narrated by Many Civilizations
The
story of the Great Flood has passed on orally from generation to
generation in 272 countries. “And We perpetuated to him (praise)
among the later generations” (Saffat 37:78). Common to all
stories are the torrential rains and walls of destructive water
bursting into valleys destroying everything en route (Handwerk
p.1). The accounts most similar to those of the Bible and
the Qur’an are from Mesopotamia and China. In Hawaii Prophet Nuh
was ‘Nu-u’ and in China ‘Nu-wah’ (Hud 11:25). All stories
agree that The Flood came when the world had reached a dangerous
point requiring the need to rid the world of evil (Xenohistorian
p.5, 8).
Recent
findings indicate that The Flood was indeed universal. Last year,
explorer Robert Ballard found evidence that The Flood inundated
the Black Sea in N. Turkey approximately 5500 years B.C with a
local account of Prophet Nuh (Krouse p.2). Archaeological evidence
confirms the same for the Tigris-Euphrates region. Other evidence
revealed by sonar technology includes the unusual formation of
1900- 2500 geometric blocks and crests in the deep waters of Cuba
that remain unexplained. The oral history of Mayans and native
Yucatans of South America speak of their ancestors vanishing
beneath the sea. Similar structures have been found on the
corresponding South American coastline. Off the coast of South
India local oral history refers to seven temples, six of which
were swallowed by the sea. The seventh remains on the shores of
Tamil Nadu. Local fishermen point to the location of the ruins
consisting of foundation walls, broken pillars, steps and
scattered blocks (Handwerk p1).
Many
deem it impossible for our environment to create enough water to
submerge even the highest mountain let alone survival under such
conditions. “And the heavens we raised it high with power, and
most surely We are the makers of things ample. And the earth, We
have made it a wide extent; how well We have then spread (it) out” (Zariat 51: 47-48). Scientists have indeed shown that two
hundred million cubic miles of water are stored beneath the
ocean’s floor (xenohistorian p.2). Biblical and Qu’ranic
accounts tell of torrential rains that began The Flood. Followed
by the opening of the earth, it is believed the speed at which
this volume of water was released caused the splitting of the
continents into east and west triggered by a polar magnetic shift
(xenohistorian p.2). Mountains submerged in water would explain
the fish and animal fossils found in every mountainous region (Zahid
p.1).
The
Search for the Lost Ark
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Big
and Little Ararat as seen from outer space. |
The search for the location of Noah’s Ark is meant to be the
final proof for those who need it. The Biblical reference for the
final resting place of the Ark is cited as Mount Ararat. The CIA
state Mount Ararat in Turkey as the “legendary landing
place of Noah’s Ark” (CIA p.2). ‘Ararat’ comes from the
Sumerian ‘Arrata’ who referred to The Flood in their poems as
the place of rebirth, after the deluge that fell upon Mesopotamia
and ‘The Fertile Crescent’ (Nazaryan p.1). Mount Ararat,
however, is a mountain range, not a mountain, extending from the
Armenian plateau to South Kurdistan. To add to the intrigue, there
is also a mountain called Mount Ararat (Zahid p.1). Mount Ararat
consists of two peaks, Big and Little Ararat. Big Ararat is an
inactive volcano 17020 feet high (Siegle p.9). The peak is
permanently snow-capped and covered in clouds and is the main
source of the Euphrates headwaters (cci.org p.3).
“And
it was said: O earth, swallow down your water, and O cloud, clear
away; and the water was made to abate and the affair was decided,
and the ark rested on The Judi, and it was said: Away with the
unjust people” (Hud 11:44). There is a Mount Judi in Southern
Arabia and Judi was also the name of the high ridge on Mount
Ararat for 200 years (Noahsarksearch p.1). The Mount Judi referred
to here is 200 miles south of Mount Ararat. In view are the Iraqi
and Syrian borders while the River Tigris flows 25 miles from its
base. Ancient references call it Cudi Dagh, Mount Quardu, Gordyene
Mountains, Karduchian Mountains, mountains of the Kurds, and Mount
Nipur. Not identified on modern maps, it is 7,000 feet high.
Nestorian Christians built monasteries on Mount Judi and in 766
A.D, Muslims built a mosque there. Explorer Gertrude Bell in 1910
reported a stone structure in the shape of a ship at the summit
that was locally known as ‘Sefinet Nabi Nuh’ – ‘The Ship
of Noah’. Every September 14th, Christians, Jews, Muslims and
Yezidis gathered to commemorate Noah’s sacrifice. Mount Judi was
also once called Mount Ararat (Crouse p.3, 8).
The
Bible states the measurement of the Ark to be 300 x 50 x 30
cubits. The Babylonian cubit is equal to 19.8 inches, the Egyptian
short cubit is 17.6 inches while the long cubit is 20.65 inches,
the Hebrew cubit is 17.5 inches and 20.4 inches and the American
Biblical
cubit is 18 inches making the ark somewhere about 450x75x45 feet
with three decks (xenohistorian p.3). The search for Noah’s Ark
has been unabated since the 1950s despite the strong possibility
that it has disintegrated with time or has moved due to the forces
of the elements (Crouse p.1).
Renewed
attempts to locate the Ark had transpired from the CIA collection
of satellite images of Mount Ararat. George Carver, a top CIA
official had stated at a Florida gathering, “that there were
clear indications that there was something up on Mount Ararat
which was rather strange.”
For
20 years, U.S reconnaissance had routinely photographed the
‘Ararat Anomaly’, and was so intrigued that it led to a CIA
study by the National Photographic Interpretation Center in the
1970s. The U-2 photographs were released but the high-resolution
KH-9 spy satellite images were not (News p.1, 3, 4, 5).
The
character of Indiana Jones of the film ‘Raiders of the Lost
Ark’ was based on the life of archaeologist Vendyl Jones, a
specialist in the Middle East who had said that it was “between
maybe and probably” that they have found Noah’s Ark (Wroe
p.1). Many claims have been made. The Turkish government in 1987
declared the site a national park and began work on a modern
highway leading to ‘Nuh’un Gemisi’ – Noah’s Ark (News
p.6). In 1994, a claim was made, with the Ark sited 32 km from
Mount Ararat, on the Turkish-Iranian border (Wroe p.1). Being in a
politically sensitive area, Mount Ararat was declared a military
zone (Siegle p.10).
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CIA
satellite picture showing Ararat anomaly. |
This
had slowed any further exploration, but in 2000, Robert
Ballard’s team sponsored by the National Geographic Society
identified a wooden structure off the coast of Northern Turkey
submerged between two ancient riverbeds. “It consists of a
single building with a hewn beam and wooden branches that formed
the walls and roof of a structure most likely like a house. We
have also found and photographed stone tools, possibly a chisel or
an axe, and ceramic storage vessels, all untouched since the
flooding of the Black Sea.” Using remotely operated vehicles,
Ballard’s team identified a rectangular feature measuring 12 x 4
meters. Situated in deep oxygen-free waters it seemed well
preserved. They used carbon dating and samples from shells and
sediments to estimate a time period of 7,500 B.C. They received
permission from the Turkish government to remove samples of wood
for more accurate dating (Krouse p.1, 3, 6). This year, the
Turkish government has denied all foreigners access to Mount
Ararat. The reason given pertains to the
borders
with Iran. (noahsarksearch p.1).
Referring
to Robert Ballard’s recent possible discovery, expedition
archaeologist Frederik Hiebert stated, “This is a major
discovery that will rewrite the history of civilizations in this
key area between Europe, Asia and the Middle East” (Krouse p.2).
The significance then surely begs the question as to the
development of civilization before The Flood. Have we done it all
before and if so are we only repeating past mistakes?
“Do
you then see of them one remaining? And Pharoah and those before
him and the overthrown cities continuously committed sins. And
they disobeyed the Apostle of their Lord, so He punished them with
a vehement punishment. Surely We bore you up in the ship when the
water rose high. So that We may make it a reminder to you, and
that the retaining ear might retain it.” (Haqqah 69: 8-12).
Sources:
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