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The Explorers of Ararat: And the Search for Noah's Ark
The Explorers Of Ararat is a comprehensive and truly unique book about the search for the remains of Noah's Ark. First, the book is an incredible, collaborative effort where each chapter is written by a leading ark research expedition leader. This gives the reader many different views and information regarding ark research from the actual explorers themselves. They have traveled to Mount Ararat, Mount Cudi and the Durupinar site dozens of times in search of the elusive ark. Second, the book offers a compilation of ark resources including historical and contemporary accounts. This objective reference work combines the best of ark research archives with new eyewitness accounts to help the reader understand the historical view of the ark. The book includes 300 photographs and illustrations.
550 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 1999
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June 1, 2024
AN EXCELLENT ACCOUNT OF MANY EXPEDITIONS TO LOCATE THE ARK OF NOAH
Author B.J. Corbin wrote in the Preface of this 1999 book, “It should be noted that there is absolutely no convincing photographic or hard evidence to indicate that Noah’s Ark has survived to the current date on modern day Mount Ararat or anywhere else. In fact, if it were not for the purported things and its name, Mount Ararat would have very little to link it with the biblical account. The only major reason to consider Mount Ararat is because of the few documented eyewitnesses. I encourage the reader to approach this subject with an open mind and consider the evidence both for and against the original statements of the alleged eyewitnesses. In fact, since a number of locations still need to be researched and explored, it is premature to make any final conclusion either way … about the current existence of the Ark.”
The John McIntosh chapter notes, “It is not a foregone conclusion that God has preserved the Ark. As we study and investigate the many reported sightings and accounts, it appears that many can be explained as mistakes. Of special note in this regard is the southwest ice cave, the ‘eye of the bird.’ At the 14,500-foot elevation and in a north/south orientation, this looks very much like the Ark. There are eyewitness accounts, however, of those who claimed to have actually walked on the Ark and entered it. I find it difficult to explain away eyewitness accounts. They are either true or they are deliberate lies, multiple mistakes, or hoaxes. Time will tell.” (Pg. 55)
Elfred Lee recounts in his chapter, “Suddenly Hugo and [Fernand] Navarra were shouting and waving a piece of wood down below. To find wood on that mountain where there are no trees was very exciting… We were sure we had located Noah’s Ark… We went to Istanbul and checked into our hotel. Then we immediately contacted AP, NBC, ABC, CBS, BBC, and writers from other major news companies… We called a press conference at the hotel and showed our wood. The next morning we were headline news all over the world… We were too anxious to get in the news. The best thing would have been so stay quiet and get back to the United States to test the wood samples, have a debriefing, and come out with a scientific report… I went to the University of Pennsylvania and marked these two samples… In a few days they had the reports… They had conducted Carbon 14 dating and other tests. When we read the report, we were crushed. The dates of the wood samples were between 1300 and 1900 years of age, much too young to be Noah’s Ark.” (Pg. 63-64)
Bob Stuplich concludes, “I can’t seem to find that boat. That doesn’t mean that it is not there. Ararat is a big mountain! I certainly haven’t proven that it is NOT there. Bill Crouse seems to think that ‘it’ may be on another mountain. Perhaps. There are a lot of mountains between Iran and Iraq.” (Pg. 103)
Dr. Don Shockley laments, “We flew the entire mountain twice daily for five days, carefully photographing not only our principal sites, but those of other researchers, some of whom had made claims that the Ark had been located. One particular location thought by some to be the Ark was on the north side of the mountain in an area called the Parrot’s Beak. The ‘object’ was unfortunately found to be a natural formation which only from a distance looked promising.” (Pg. 114)
Dr. Charles Willis notes, “In retrospect, it is obvious that no one has discovered any conclusive proof that Noah’s Ark is on Mt. Ararat. Alleged findings of ancient wood have not passed the test of scientific examination, and the alleged sightings have been of little or no value. Mr. F.M. Gurley admitted in writing in 1989 that he had fabricated the alleged World War I Russian Expedition, and that at least his article was a total lie.” (Pg. 124)
Robin Simmons states, “As we make another pass over the awesome Ahora Gorge, I look down to the spot… where I theoretically located Ed Davis’ object. In a debris-ridden canyon of ice and rock, there appears yet another similar-shaped anomaly jutting out from a steep skree… The end appears broken and there’s a peaked roof-shape with parallel sides. It looks battered. Is it a rock formation? Or something man-made? This object closely matches Ed Davis’ description. If it is that Ark-object, then there’s another bit part buried in the rubble above it. There are those who call it a rock… No one has been on it, to my knowledge… All three anomalous shapes … could in fact be broken parts, all fallen from the same singular source… Unfortunately, there’s no accurate scale cues for any of these objects… is it possible that the Ark could have broken into at least four large pieces? The answer is just out of reach---but maybe not for long.” (Pg. 143-144)
Robert Garbe explains, “we passed the ‘Eye of the Bird’ or Ice Cave… It bore a striking resemblance to eyewitness descriptions of the Ark. It had what looked like two decks… and what seemed like planking… That evening we reviewed the video and became convinced from the video that we had discovered the Ark. The video even seems to show partitioning like rooms in the Ark. The next morning we made another flight and flew around and over the mountain, photographing everything… These photos have since revealed several interesting structures that should be investigated in the future. Shapes like an arched cave opening and projections that could be parts of a broken Ark. We have learned photos are often deceiving so we will reserve judgment for now.” (Pg. 177-178)
Garbe wonders, “Has it been worth spending thousands of dollars to search for an Old Testament artifact? Could not hundreds of Bibles or meals be purchased with the money to nourish the poor in spirit and health? Why expose oneself to the dangers in eastern Turkey?... Who cares if the Ark is found or not? … There is no biblical indication that Ark has significance in end times! I have had to ponder these questions … and the answer has come unmistakably that the search for the Ark is very important. Christ used the illustration of Noah and the flood many times… Was Christ using a myth to make illustrations?” (Pg. 182)
Chuck Aaron recalls, “My next trip was in September of 1989… You have possibly heard about this trip. It was on this trip that the claim was made that we had ‘found’ Noah’s Ark. That statement hit the papers and TV around the world. We were sure. Anyone with us would have been sure too!... There is no question that it looks like Noah’s Ark to a pilot in an aircraft, but confirmation by a ground team was still necessary. A Mr. Gunner Smars called me from Sweden… He arranged an immediate expedition and went to Ararat and climbed up to it… He wrote a letter to Jim Irwin… in which he told Jim that he did not think it was the Ark. He said the place where he stood was solid rock and that he could not see any wood… a third expedition was made possible that year… on this trip we were able to fly within 100 feet of the object that appeared to be the Ark. After close inspection we all agreed that it was not the Ark after all. We also agreed that from a distance of 500 feet or more, most people would swear that it was.” (Pg. 191-192)
John D. Morris, president of the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), concludes, “For nearly two decades, the search for the Ark was paramount in my thinking… The Ark search gets into your blood… I’ll always be hooked… on my thirteen trips to the mountain, the many dear Turkish friends and experiences have been enriching. I have memories which will last for a lifetime. But in recent years my passion has turned to other projects, as responsibilities have grown at home and at ICR. I no longer seek to return to the mountain, although I maintain a deep interest in the search and contact with active search groups. But if the right opportunity arose…” (Pg. 217-218)
This book will be “must reading” for all those interested in the modern search.
Author B.J. Corbin wrote in the Preface of this 1999 book, “It should be noted that there is absolutely no convincing photographic or hard evidence to indicate that Noah’s Ark has survived to the current date on modern day Mount Ararat or anywhere else. In fact, if it were not for the purported things and its name, Mount Ararat would have very little to link it with the biblical account. The only major reason to consider Mount Ararat is because of the few documented eyewitnesses. I encourage the reader to approach this subject with an open mind and consider the evidence both for and against the original statements of the alleged eyewitnesses. In fact, since a number of locations still need to be researched and explored, it is premature to make any final conclusion either way … about the current existence of the Ark.”
The John McIntosh chapter notes, “It is not a foregone conclusion that God has preserved the Ark. As we study and investigate the many reported sightings and accounts, it appears that many can be explained as mistakes. Of special note in this regard is the southwest ice cave, the ‘eye of the bird.’ At the 14,500-foot elevation and in a north/south orientation, this looks very much like the Ark. There are eyewitness accounts, however, of those who claimed to have actually walked on the Ark and entered it. I find it difficult to explain away eyewitness accounts. They are either true or they are deliberate lies, multiple mistakes, or hoaxes. Time will tell.” (Pg. 55)
Elfred Lee recounts in his chapter, “Suddenly Hugo and [Fernand] Navarra were shouting and waving a piece of wood down below. To find wood on that mountain where there are no trees was very exciting… We were sure we had located Noah’s Ark… We went to Istanbul and checked into our hotel. Then we immediately contacted AP, NBC, ABC, CBS, BBC, and writers from other major news companies… We called a press conference at the hotel and showed our wood. The next morning we were headline news all over the world… We were too anxious to get in the news. The best thing would have been so stay quiet and get back to the United States to test the wood samples, have a debriefing, and come out with a scientific report… I went to the University of Pennsylvania and marked these two samples… In a few days they had the reports… They had conducted Carbon 14 dating and other tests. When we read the report, we were crushed. The dates of the wood samples were between 1300 and 1900 years of age, much too young to be Noah’s Ark.” (Pg. 63-64)
Bob Stuplich concludes, “I can’t seem to find that boat. That doesn’t mean that it is not there. Ararat is a big mountain! I certainly haven’t proven that it is NOT there. Bill Crouse seems to think that ‘it’ may be on another mountain. Perhaps. There are a lot of mountains between Iran and Iraq.” (Pg. 103)
Dr. Don Shockley laments, “We flew the entire mountain twice daily for five days, carefully photographing not only our principal sites, but those of other researchers, some of whom had made claims that the Ark had been located. One particular location thought by some to be the Ark was on the north side of the mountain in an area called the Parrot’s Beak. The ‘object’ was unfortunately found to be a natural formation which only from a distance looked promising.” (Pg. 114)
Dr. Charles Willis notes, “In retrospect, it is obvious that no one has discovered any conclusive proof that Noah’s Ark is on Mt. Ararat. Alleged findings of ancient wood have not passed the test of scientific examination, and the alleged sightings have been of little or no value. Mr. F.M. Gurley admitted in writing in 1989 that he had fabricated the alleged World War I Russian Expedition, and that at least his article was a total lie.” (Pg. 124)
Robin Simmons states, “As we make another pass over the awesome Ahora Gorge, I look down to the spot… where I theoretically located Ed Davis’ object. In a debris-ridden canyon of ice and rock, there appears yet another similar-shaped anomaly jutting out from a steep skree… The end appears broken and there’s a peaked roof-shape with parallel sides. It looks battered. Is it a rock formation? Or something man-made? This object closely matches Ed Davis’ description. If it is that Ark-object, then there’s another bit part buried in the rubble above it. There are those who call it a rock… No one has been on it, to my knowledge… All three anomalous shapes … could in fact be broken parts, all fallen from the same singular source… Unfortunately, there’s no accurate scale cues for any of these objects… is it possible that the Ark could have broken into at least four large pieces? The answer is just out of reach---but maybe not for long.” (Pg. 143-144)
Robert Garbe explains, “we passed the ‘Eye of the Bird’ or Ice Cave… It bore a striking resemblance to eyewitness descriptions of the Ark. It had what looked like two decks… and what seemed like planking… That evening we reviewed the video and became convinced from the video that we had discovered the Ark. The video even seems to show partitioning like rooms in the Ark. The next morning we made another flight and flew around and over the mountain, photographing everything… These photos have since revealed several interesting structures that should be investigated in the future. Shapes like an arched cave opening and projections that could be parts of a broken Ark. We have learned photos are often deceiving so we will reserve judgment for now.” (Pg. 177-178)
Garbe wonders, “Has it been worth spending thousands of dollars to search for an Old Testament artifact? Could not hundreds of Bibles or meals be purchased with the money to nourish the poor in spirit and health? Why expose oneself to the dangers in eastern Turkey?... Who cares if the Ark is found or not? … There is no biblical indication that Ark has significance in end times! I have had to ponder these questions … and the answer has come unmistakably that the search for the Ark is very important. Christ used the illustration of Noah and the flood many times… Was Christ using a myth to make illustrations?” (Pg. 182)
Chuck Aaron recalls, “My next trip was in September of 1989… You have possibly heard about this trip. It was on this trip that the claim was made that we had ‘found’ Noah’s Ark. That statement hit the papers and TV around the world. We were sure. Anyone with us would have been sure too!... There is no question that it looks like Noah’s Ark to a pilot in an aircraft, but confirmation by a ground team was still necessary. A Mr. Gunner Smars called me from Sweden… He arranged an immediate expedition and went to Ararat and climbed up to it… He wrote a letter to Jim Irwin… in which he told Jim that he did not think it was the Ark. He said the place where he stood was solid rock and that he could not see any wood… a third expedition was made possible that year… on this trip we were able to fly within 100 feet of the object that appeared to be the Ark. After close inspection we all agreed that it was not the Ark after all. We also agreed that from a distance of 500 feet or more, most people would swear that it was.” (Pg. 191-192)
John D. Morris, president of the Institute for Creation Research (ICR), concludes, “For nearly two decades, the search for the Ark was paramount in my thinking… The Ark search gets into your blood… I’ll always be hooked… on my thirteen trips to the mountain, the many dear Turkish friends and experiences have been enriching. I have memories which will last for a lifetime. But in recent years my passion has turned to other projects, as responsibilities have grown at home and at ICR. I no longer seek to return to the mountain, although I maintain a deep interest in the search and contact with active search groups. But if the right opportunity arose…” (Pg. 217-218)
This book will be “must reading” for all those interested in the modern search.
December 21, 2016
A very interesting account of some of the most prominent "Arkeologists" and their perilous search for the Ark of Noah. Since this book is written by a number of the explorers the writing style changes from chapter to chapter; and as a result the book may become rather dull and tiresome to read for someone who is not particularly interested in the topic.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the search for Noah's Ark.
I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in the search for Noah's Ark.
October 26, 2019
At the time I purchased the book, I pretty much had 'Ark Fever', and was really on the hunt for something I could really sink my teeth into, and this book came along at the exact time. I really wanted to believe there was an ark up there, and this compilation went into depth about the main explorers and expedition like no other book did, or has since. So for me, this was a surefire 5 star read; Lots of photos, great interviews, solid writing, and you came away with a thorough update on all the goings-on with the search for Noah's Ark. Since then I have come to believe there is no ark on the mountain, and the only witness who really might have seen something of substance was Ed Davis. But even then, even though he passed a polygraph, I believe he *believed* that what he saw was the ark, because he was told so by his traveling companions. But he himself was uncertain with what he saw. He saw something in poor conditions, from a distance of over a mile away; and this is the very best evidence we have of a possibility of Noah's Ark being on the mountain of Ararat. I think it was more along the lines of an ancient fort or something he had seen, not the fabled Ark of Noah.
Still, I loved the book, a fascinating read, but as another reviewer mentioned, might well be quite boring for someone not already riddled with 'ark fever', but if you are interested there still is yet to be released a better book on the subject.
Still, I loved the book, a fascinating read, but as another reviewer mentioned, might well be quite boring for someone not already riddled with 'ark fever', but if you are interested there still is yet to be released a better book on the subject.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews