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Claim CH503.2:

The Turkish government has officially recognized the structure near Dogubayazit as Noah's ark. It has made the area a national park and is building a visitor center and a highway to it, adding additional credence to the claim that Noah's ark has been found.


Wyatt, R. E., 1989. Discovered - Noah's Ark. Nashville, TN: World Bible Society.


  1. There are reasons why a government might recognize the site as Noah's ark even if there is little evidence that it is so. First, turning the area into a park would protect it from exploitation. Second, it allows the government to get the benefit of tourist dollars. Recognizing the site as Noah's ark indicates that the Turkish government expects the site to be famous, not necessarily genuine.

  2. There is no evidence that the Turkish authorities did any independent investigation of the site. If they did not, their recognition of the site is merely a repeat of the claims of Wyatt, Fasold, and the other arkeologists. It gives no additional authority to the claim.

Further Reading:

Collins, L. G. and D. F. Fasold, 1996. Bogus "Noah's Ark" from Turkey exposed as a common geologic structure. Journal of Geoscience Education 44(4): 439-444.

created 2001-2-18