You have probably heard of Noah’s Ark, which survived the great flood in the Bible. For Christians and anyone who has read the Bible, the story is well-known.
This article aims to address some of the questions surrounding the existence of Noah’s Ark or something similar. We hope to provide useful information.
The Legend
The story goes that one day, witnessing the crimes committed by humanity, God felt immense anger and regret for creating humankind. He decided to send a great flood to wipe out all traces of evil. At that time, there was a man on Earth named Noah, who was righteous, so God spared him and revealed His plan to him in a dream. God advised Noah to build a large ark to save his family and pairs of every kind of animal.
Design diagram of Noah’s Ark.
Following God’s instructions, Noah built a gigantic ark, measuring 360 meters long, 23 meters wide, and 13.6 meters high, divided into three decks, and loaded it with pairs of every animal. Just as the ark was completed and all the animals boarded, the great flood struck. Indeed, the fountains of the deep burst forth, flooding the earth, and a torrential rain fell for 40 days and nights. God completed His punishment, and all living beings perished, except for those on Noah’s Ark.
Noah and his ark of salvation.
After the catastrophic flood receded, Noah sent out a dove from the ark to check the situation outside. The first time, the dove could not find a place to land because the water had not yet receded, so it returned to the ark. Seven days later, he sent the dove out again, and this time, it returned with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Noah knew that the waters had diminished and the earth was at peace because God had ceased His wrath. He sent the dove out once more, and this time it did not return. Today, the image of the dove with an olive branch symbolizes peace, stemming from this Noah’s Ark legend.
Thus, Noah released all the creatures from the ark back onto the land to continue living. God established a covenant with Noah and warned humanity: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth, but remember that if you commit violence and the blood of others is shed, your blood will also be shed.”
Theories About the Flood
The story of the flood is found in chapters 6 to 9 of the Book of Genesis, detailing God’s decision to bring a catastrophic flood to Earth. Noah and his family, it is said, were spared by God—along with two of every kind of animal—floating on a large vessel. Genesis records: “And only one ship floated on the waters; the highest mountains were submerged.”
Initially, we cannot simply speculate about the reality of Noah’s Ark. The question should begin with history: did such a great flood actually occur? Theoretically, many scientists claim it is impossible. However, geologists William BF Ryan and Walter C. Pitman from Columbia University propose that a massive flood was the result of rising water levels in the Black Sea after the Ice Age, around 5600 BC.
The hypothesis of the “Flood of Noah” is posited by geologists to have originated from melting glaciers in the Mediterranean Sea, flowing through the Bosporus Strait into the Black Sea with a large discharge. This resulted in flooding over an area of approximately 96,560 square kilometers on Earth. In 2007, researchers found evidence that a melting ice cap in Greenland raised global sea levels by 1.4 meters during the years 8740 to 8160 BC, forcing many people to evacuate from flood-prone areas.
However, the majority of the scientific community remains skeptical of this theory, arguing it lacks the scale and capacity to produce a “Noah’s Ark.”
Noah in Historical Texts
If we delve deeper than the Bible, the character of Noah actually appears in texts from the Mesopotamian civilization. This era saw the outline of a story similar to that in the Bible, although Noah here is referred to as Ziusudra. Following that, the Babylonians recorded a similar story in their history, where Noah is named Utnapishtim, who was warned of a great storm and built a large vessel divided into six parts. Essentially, this character appears in various texts from different regions under different names.
Scientists suggest that these stories may be based on real events that occurred in the regions of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. They have found evidence of a significant flood in this area dating back to around 2900 BC, which wiped out a city. After numerous hypotheses and studies, scientists believe that Noah could have been a wealthy merchant capable of preparing a large vessel to withstand a flood. Over generations of oral tradition, Noah eventually became a legend with many embellishments in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Perhaps for religious purposes, he has been depicted with characteristics unique to each faith.
Mount Ararat.
In the Bible, Noah is depicted as a model believer, a faithful servant of God, a beacon of hope in a sinful world. His survival is attributed to his righteousness and God’s choice. In the Quran, Noah is referred to as Nuh, one of the five prophets of Islam. The Surah speaks of Noah as a prophet of God, warning his neighbors of the impending danger if they do not improve their ways. Despite the differences, the story of Noah is quite similar across all texts. Mount Ararat and Mount Judi are two peaks mentioned in both religions. To this day, many believe that the ark still exists on one of those peaks.
The Existence of Noah’s Ark
According to many scientists, constructing a massive wooden ark as described during that era is impossible. Wood is not a reliable material to carry thousands of lives through a great flood as depicted. Over the past 20 years, there have been numerous false reports regarding the search for Noah’s Ark. In 1993, CBS aired a documentary claiming to present spectacular findings purportedly from the ark. However, not long after, many accusations arose indicating that all information in this documentary was fabricated.
The photo believed to be Noah’s Ark taken on Mount Ararat.
Mount Ararat in Turkey has long been a focal point for archaeologists. However, it wasn’t until photographer Ron Wyatt published a photo of a fossilized rock formation resembling Noah’s Ark in LIFE magazine on September 5, 1960, that it truly captured public attention. This image is now considered one of the most famous representations of Noah’s Ark. In 1977, Ron Wyatt, along with an expedition team, ascended Mount Ararat and asserted that the location of the photograph was indeed the resting place of Noah’s Ark.
Nevertheless, many scientists argue that the Ark exists only in legend.
If Noah’s Ark became stranded on Mount Ararat during the great flood, it is quite likely that glacial movements pushed it down to lower regions long ago. As a result, it would have undoubtedly shattered, with pieces of the massive wooden structure scattered across a vast area of Mount Ararat. Yet, to this day, no one has found any large remnants, except for a few individuals who reported finding small wooden fragments at altitudes nearing 5 kilometers. Scientifically, wood can only survive for a few centuries.
The discovery of the remnants of Noah’s Ark has stirred public curiosity, raising questions about whether this is nature’s way of reminding humanity that failing to respect nature and life could lead to catastrophic consequences. Can we expect a second Noah’s Ark to save humanity from extinction as we face climate change, natural disasters, and human-made crises today?
To this day, the mysteries surrounding Noah’s Ark and the great flood continue to intrigue scientists and enthusiasts alike. At that time, Manu tied the Ark tightly with the horns of a fish and allowed it to be carried away. After the flood, Noah’s Ark is said to have come to rest on Mount Ararat.
The existence of Noah’s Ark remains a topic of debate. However, from a scientific standpoint, we currently lack any feasible evidence to prove its existence. Numerous hypotheses have been formulated, and many searches have been initiated, yet it seems that proving the Ark’s reality poses a considerable challenge.
