Ark Research Project:
Search for Noah's Ark

Ark Research Project Newsletter - May/June 1999

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ INTRODUCTION
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Remote sensing or sensing from a distance is one way to see hidden things. Remote sensing is a way to see something without touching it. Remote sensing has been used to find lost treasures, Egyptian remains, other archeological sites of interest and the Titanic. Remote sensing or RS is what ARP is planning to utilize to help locate and reveal Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat.

For many years, partial and blurred images have been labeled as, "Noah's Ark". For many years, lines in the ice and shadows have captured the wanting minds of searchers. "This is Noah's Ark!" These images and bold statements have often left the average person cold and suspicious and rightly so. These images have not been the proof that science wants. These images have only fueled curiosity, speculation, doubt and cynicism. Inconclusive photographic evidence just will not do. We need more. We need remote sensing. It can provide the scientific edge we are looking for.

Remote sensing requires special equipment to see through dust, dirt, water, ice or rock. ARP is in the process of contracting a fully equipped research aircraft that contains: a Hyperspectral Camera, a Thermal IR Camera, a Synthetic Aperture Radar, and a Mapping Camera (Down Looking). These tools will enable members of our team to clearly identify any possible remains of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat.

For the first time in recorded history, ARP will be able to use the highest technology available to try and locate the remains of Noah's Ark. If ARP is allowed to fly over Mount Ararat with our RS equipment, we will be able to say definitely if it is there or not.

The primary objectives of the ARP remote sensing effort will be to locate the remains of Noah's Ark on Mt Ararat, or provide convincing evidence that there is no Ark remains on Mt Ararat. If the remains of Noah's Ark are identified, the collected imagery data will be used to guide the ARP climbing team to the Ark location.

The secondary objectives will be to perform archeological and geological surveys of areas of interest in Eastern Turkey. The archived data will be used by archeologists and geologists to study areas of interest both on Mt Ararat and near the mountain for years to come.

As mentioned in the previous newsletter, ARP has assembled a highly qualified RS team. Our team has the technical skills required to read and interpret the obtained data.

And, as with any project, we have encountered several problems. We have acquired permissions from local provinces to work on and around Mount Ararat, but we still need permissions from Ankara, Turkey. Your continued prayer for our success is still much appreciated.

Matthew Kneisler

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ YOUR THOUGHTS
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Words of encouragement, shared interest and enthusiasm are great ways to share your thoughts with us. However, due to the volume of email, it is nearly impossible to "personally" respond to all letters. If you would like a response from your email, please let us know and we will try our best to do so accordingly. Here are a few letters straight and mostly unedited from you:

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I FORTUNATELY STUMBLED ON YOUR WEB SITE AND WAS THRILLED TO READ ABOUT YOUR WORK. I HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN THIS SUBJECT FOR MANY YEARS BUT DID NOT KNOW WHERE I COULD FIND MORE INFORMATION. KINDLY SEND ME YOUR NEWSLETTER. MY E-MAIL ADDRESS THANKS AND MAY THE LORD GUIDE AND PROTECT YOU'LL. B/RGDS C 3/31/99

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We watched a video tonight in Bible Study about the Search for Noah's Ark, and it was quite old. I decided to search out the latest info on the search, and came across your sight. i must say it is very well put together and very informative. I would very much like to keep up-to-date on the latest news and of course - the expedition in August 1999. My prayers and support go out to you and would appreciate it if you would add me to your mailing list for updates. D 3/17/99

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Thank you for your website. I also believe in creation as well. I remember causing an angry reaction in college from a majority of my classmates. Myself and only one other person expressed a belief in creationism. ... Thank you again for your site. d 3/25/99

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This is one of those truly rare creatures...the WOW! web site. Congratulations on a job well done. MW 4/7/99

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If you are going to be scientific about Noah's Ark, shouldn't you consider ALL the evidence available?

The Muslims have a very considerable amount of evidence that Noah's Ark is in Saudi Arabia not Turkey.

In Muslim thinking, the word Har-a-rat which Bible Fundamentalists liketo mean Ararat in Turkey, instead is the 1000 mile mountainous stretch of lava stretching from Mecca to Damascus. The Koran calls the Noah's Ark area Al-Judi. Tell Noah is 62 miles North of Tayma, Saudi Arabia and is covered with clay. Persian records tell of persons who were in it and describe the interior halls and vast central area. It is said to be huge, suare in shape, and originally a wooden temple requiring 120 years to build in a valley that is now the Red Sea.

A theory about the Ark is that the volcanic activity that caused the Eden area to sink and become the Rea Sea also raised the Har-a-rat 1000 mile mountain, floating the Ark.

Shouldn't you also include in your list of web-site links to Ark related sites one that gives the Muslim version of where Noah's Ark is? See: Brian's Annex: http://www.angelfire.com/fl/BriansHouse/inarabia.html

Respectfully
JBP 4/14/99

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i would love to receive the newsletter via email. i am very interested in this project and i like to stay updated on what is going on. this project has the potential to change lives across the world and because of that i am going to be in prayer for each and everyone of you. thanks and i hope you have a great week in the Lord. by His grace mf 4/19/99
isa53

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Dear Mr. Kneisler,
Thank you for adding our names to your newsletter mailing list. We appreciate your project and excitedly anticipate reading about your findings. May God richly bless your efforts.
Sincerely, CP 4/23/99

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enjoyed your web site,Ill go back to it again.hope in some way it helped me to understand the ark better. I never did know where the mountains where where the ark landed. Do you ever wonder just maybe God doesnt want man to fine the ark? God has a way with things we dont understand. LP 4/25/99

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... I am a master's student at Michigan State University studying Choral Conducting and German. I was watching with much interest NBC's presentation of Noah's Ark and desired more information. My web search led me to your pages, which surprised me greatly. The attention to detail, historical accounts, the biblical references supported by scientific evidence, along with the way in which you make the pages so user friendly was refreshing, informative and educational. I would like to be kept informed of your progress with finding the Ark. I do believe it exists and believe that one day, it will be "discovered." Thank you for your hard work. I genuinely appreciate it and your willingness to share it with the world.

Sincerely, KEB 5/2/99

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First of all, I would like to say thank you for making all this information accessible for viewing. This is the mark of a true heart. My question is this. Have you watched the NBC movie "Noah's ark"? If so, what is your feeling on the way Hollywood placed Noah at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra? In my studies, I have learned that there were quite a number of generations in between Noah's death and Sodom & Gomorra. It seems that moviemakers of the present have used Biblical truth and research like yours to convolute the stories of the Old Testament. It is such a shame that true scientific material like yours is used like this. As you can tell, I feel very strongly about this. After watching maybe a half hour or so, I would not allow my family to watch anymore. I would much rather have my children look at realistic, documented material like that presented here. Again, Thank you! I realize you are much too busy to respond to every letter, so just follow your instincts. I hope you continue to make Noah's ark a real part of our history. CWR 5/3/99

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i've been to your wesbite about Noah's Ark. And I found it VERY informative and exicting to read. There's lots of good'n'great info and stories. Your site is highly recommendable! Keep up the good work! JSM 5/4/99

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Hey Matt,
I grew up a catholic girl, knowing about the general story of Noah and the Ark. After watching the (not too acurate) movie on NBC I figured I would do some research. Ijust have to commend you on this great site. INTERESTING, EDUCATIONAL, JUST WONDERFUL!!! Now one of my favorite bookmarks. Keep up the search. TS 5/4/99

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I have really enjoyed your page. I watched "Noah's Ark" that NBC produced and was absolutely disgusted. They claimed that they beefed it up to make it more entertaining, but they just ruined it. It's a fine miracle all on its own.It would have been a great 'testimonial' if they had left it accurate. I have sent this link on to several friends of mine- that's how much I liked it. There are still so many unanswered questions I have about the ark and Noah in particular, but I guess I'll have to wait for the Rapture so I can ask the Designer Himself!!
Sincerely, TJI 5/22/99

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FROM THE DIRECTOR
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The editor of our newsletter has described our attempt to use the latest high tech equipment in the search for Noah's Ark. I have submitted an official request for a fixed wing aircraft equipped with the latest remote sensing technology. If the Ark is located on Mt. Ararat, then this equipment will find it.

I must use caution here in my remarks about trying to procure such technology. We are making application which does not mean that we will be approved for its use. The opportunity was presented to us and feel that it is worth using on our misson.

If we are successful in procurring this equipment, it will accomplish a number of things for us. It will pinpoint exactly where the Ark is located. We then can send our team to the site for documentation. This equipment will enable us to analyze the geology of the mountain. Very little has been done in this area. This equipment can peer up to a mile inside the mountain.

There are historical sites of interest that need to be scanned to locate any buried ruins such as the ST. James Monastery at the foot of Mount Ararat. All of this data can be analyzed and given to the Turkish authorities. Future expeditions can be launched by their archaeologists to develop and preserve these archaeological treasures.

We are proceeding with the process of gaining approval from the various Turkish authorities for our permits. This is currently going forward. We should be hearing in the next week or two about these permits.

From reports in the region, this year will be another in extreme meltback of the ice cap. We hope to be able to exploit this advantage. If the plane is not available, then we will resort to our original plan of using a helicopter with the team. Either way, our plans are to be in the region this August.

We need your prayers for the success of this mission. I wish to thank each of you for your kind support and prayers.

Prof. James Hall, Director
Ark Research Project

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ OTHER NEWS
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If you are interested in becoming one of our Prayer Partners, please email John McIntosh (jtmomega777@juno.com) and express your interest in helping us through prayer.

The NBC miniseries, Noah's Ark, was a severe disappointment. Several of you have written expressing your disatisfaction. (I am sorry that I even mentioned it in this newsletter.) The miniseries not only confused, but seriously misrepresented the bible and its story of Noah. Some viewers not knowing the truth, thought the miniseries was correct in its presentation. Over time, we can all help to correct the misguided teaching by teaching the biblical truth to those who do not know it.

And finally, fellow teammate, BJ Corbin, has just completed his book, The Explorers of Ararat. This fascinating and detailed book on the search for Noah's Ark is a compilation of several researchers and their individual stories. The book contains 175 photographs and illustrations and you can get a copy by contacting the publisher directly at: www.greatcommission.com

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LAST THOUGHT
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From Gilbert Grosvenor, former editor of the National Geographic Society, "The discovery of the Ark would be the greatest archaeological discovery of mankind."

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE WEB
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Most of the information presented here about Ark Research Project is available at our Web site:

http://www.arksearch.com/arp

In time, we plan to revise this address to reflect the organizational name. For now, it provides a means to allow the world to see the efforts of the team and organization.

OTHER WEB SITES

The Search For Noah's Ark by Matthew Kneisler
    http://www.arksearch.com

Noah's Ark Research Page by BJ Corbin
    http://www.noahsarksearch.com

The Noah's Ark Project by Douglas Peterson
    http://user.mc.net/dougp/noahs_ark/

Noah's Ark Website And Shipyard by David O'Neil
    http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/6039/

Detailed Research on the Logistics of Noah's Ark by John Woodmorappe
    http://www.users.bigpond.com/webfx/cyber/johnw.htm

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ THE PURPOSE
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Ark Research Project was an officially recognized United States organization in February 1998, when it received non-profit tax-exempt status from the IRS. The organizational purpose is to, "conduct research into locating the legendary Noah's Ark of the Bible. The revelation of the existence of such an archaeological and religious object would be of utmost scientific, religious, and educational value to the people of the United States and the World."

The Ark Research Project team is planing an expedition to Mount Ararat in northeastern Turkey in 1999. Ark Research Team members are listed below.

    James Hall : Director
    William Shea,PhD : Archaeologist
    Jerry Kitchens : Project Manager
    Tim Mills : Mountaineer
    Mark Jenkins : Media Manager
    John Meek : Medical Consultant
    Michael Holt : Mountaineer & Travel Consultant
    Troy Thomas : Media Assistant
    John T. McIntosh : Co-Director Mountaineer Team
    Robert Tamplet : Aeronautical Pilot & Technician
    G. Wayne Bonsell : Security Consultant
    B.J. Corbin : Mountaineer & Co-Director Mountaineer Team
    Matthew Kneisler : Mountaineer & Remote Sensing Technician
    James Lee :    Business Manager
    Robert DeVaul : Photographer
    Rick Hatch : Photographer & Mountaineer
    Peter Aletter : Translator & Mountaineer
    Tom Pickett : Remote Sensing Technician
    Lanny Faleide : Remote Sensing Technician
    Jon Brisbin : SAT COM/ Remote Sensing Technician
    Jim Hays : Remote Sensing Support   
    Larry Crews : Consultant
    Dr. Salih Bayraktutan : Coordinator & Geology Consultant

There are others who have contributed as periodic consultants. Their invaluable help and service are greatly appreciated. Special thanks to: John Morris, Ray Anderson and others.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER
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Copyright 1999 Ark Research Project