Unexpected Discovery: New Clues About Noah’s Ark

Every now and then, we hear about the discovery of Noah's Ark somewhere in the Ararat Mountains, straddling the border between Iran and Turkey.

It is difficult to determine which of these identifications are truly credible. Yet we do know that in ancient times, remnants of an ark were believed to exist in a known location, and many ancient peoples recorded this. The Gemara tells us that Haman took a high tree, measuring fifty cubits, to hang Mordechai from the Ark. An ancient Babylonian historian named Berossus also writes that remnants of the ark existed in his time on Mount Ararat, and that people would take pieces from it as a talisman or for good fortune.

An Ancient Map Reveals New Clues

Recently, an intriguing discovery related to the Ark came to light. Dr. Irving Finkel of the British Museum, a leading expert in Mesopotamian culture, revealed remarkable details about an ancient Babylonian map dating to the sixth century BCE, which appears to describe the location of Noah's Ark.

The map, inscribed on a clay tablet, is one of the oldest known maps in the world. At its center is the city of Babylon, surrounded by a double ring representing “the bitter river,” the ancient boundary of the known world. What is especially fascinating is what lies beyond this ring: a series of triangles depicting distant and mysterious regions, including the place where Noah's Ark is said to have come to rest.

A surprising development occurred when a volunteer named Edith Horsley discovered a missing fragment of the map. Once restored, the tablet revealed details about one of the triangles labeled “the great wall,” an area described as having towering walls and giant trees. According to the map, this is the place where Noah's Ark rested, corresponding to Mount Ararat as mentioned in the Bible.

Flood Traditions Across Civilizations

We know that the Babylonians spoke extensively about the flood. As descendants of Shem, they certainly preserved an ancient tradition about these events. One of their most famous accounts is The Epic of Gilgamesh, which describes the flood and the ark. Another is the story of Atrahasis, which recounts similar events.

What makes the Babylonian map so significant is that it offers the earliest known cartographic evidence pointing to the location of the ark. It does not merely tell the story, but almost serves as an ancient guide to the place where, according to Babylonian belief, the ark still stood in their time.

In fact, we now know of at least 217 ancient cultures that preserve some version of the flood story. Each tells it from a different perspective, and some clearly added legendary elements, but the core message remains consistent: in ancient times, a great flood covered the world, and only those aboard the great vessel built according to God’s command were saved.

Interestingly, among all these ancient cultures, the Canaanite culture lacks a flood narrative. This aligns with the words of our sages, who taught that the land of Israel was not affected by the flood.