There is not much from the bible that has attracted more interest or become more of a hinge point for the conflict between science and faith than the story of Noah. For good reason, if there had been a flood that swamped the entire earth there should be considerable evidence, and if we can find Viking ships and Roman ships on the bottom of the sea or buried in mounds, and prove that papyrus boats were capable of trans-oceanic travel, then a 450 foot long boat effectively dry-docked on top of a relatively arid mountain should have left some evidence of its existence.
Unfortunately that search has also attracted its fair share of frauds and hoaxes, and not as yet determined substantive results.
One theory has been growing, supported by archaeology and now new evidence lends that idea support.
From The Telegraph
Noah’s Ark Great Flood may have happened, says Robert Ballard
The Great Flood as featured in the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark may have happened, according to Robert Ballard, the underwater archaeologist who found the Titanic.
A replica of the Noah’s Ark built by Johan Huibers and located in Dordrecht, the Netherlands Photo: EPA
In an interview with ABC News’s Christiane Amanpour, Mr Ballard explains that he investigated a theory proposed by two scientists from Columbia University that there was a massive flood in the Black Sea region. They believe that the Black Sea was once an isolated freshwater lake surrounded by farmland until it was flooded by a torrent of water.
“We went in there to look for the flood,” he told ABC News. “Not just a slow moving, advancing rise of sea level, but a really big flood that then stayed … The land that went under stayed under.”
Although they did not find the Ark, they found an ancient shoreline which Mr Ballard believes is proof such an event did take place. He believes that, by using carbon dating shells found along the shoreline, it took place around 5,000 BC.
“It probably was a bad day,” he said. “At some magic moment, it broke through and flooded this place violently, and a lot of real estate, 150,000 square kilometers of land, went under.”
Most every ancient culture of the region have stories of a great flood. Rivers, lakes and oceans were the hubs of trade routes, and the heart of many economies so floods had a significant impact on cultural memories around which stories grew.
Here is a documentary which details some of the early research that leads to what is presented now.
A few people have suggested that the event of the flooding of the Black Sea basin lends some credibility to the idea of searching for Atlantis in that area as well. What the heck if we are looking there anyway?
No one thought Troy would ever be found either.
