Noah's Ark: 3D
Ark
No one today can tell us exactly what the interior
of Noah's Ark looked like. What we can do is read the biblical story, study the various
types of animals that could have possibly been in the Ark and begin to devise a
"layout" for the ship.
When you begin to think about it, you may start to group "certain" animals
with "certain types" of similar animals. For example, why not put the tigers
next to the panthers? They are both similar in shape, diet and habit. Or, why not put the
cattle next to the deer? Or, why not put the straw next to the grain? How about all the
different bird types on the upper deck? Where do the humans stay?
Well strain your brain no longer! Someone has already done it! His name is Athanasius
Kircher. Athanasius was a Jesuit priest who lived from 1602 to 1680. Considered one of the
first noted creationist, he spent many hours analyzing the needs of the Ark and figuring
out its precise layout. His calculation considered God's description (Gen 6):
14 ... make rooms [compartments or nests] in the ark.
16 ... You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.
Kircher layed the Ark out in three levels as specified by God. Kircher's hypothetical
layout is described as follows:
Ornithotropeion - Upper Deck - Birds and Living Quarters
Bromatodocheion - Middle Deck - Supplies
Zootropheion - Lower Deck - Rest of the Animals
He calculated that each deck contained about 300 stalls. Kircher's drawings show 30-50
rooms per deck. You must then deduce that there are about an average of 10 to 6 stalls per
room. I have followed Kircher's drawing and tried to supply 30-50 rooms per deck.
Additionally, I have tried to "label" all the rooms. This consists of a
"picture" on a wall. The picture is a text graphic describing the room. For
example, you should find a room on the Upper Deck labeled: "Noah's Room (U 09
S)". The code (U 09 S) infers: Upper Deck, Room 9, Starboard (right) Side. And (M 12
P) would be: Middle Deck, Room 12, Port (left) Side.
NOTE: The Middle and Lower Decks are currently under construction and all rooms have
not be properly added. Also, the labels have not been added to all the walls. I have found
that when downloading the 3D Ark, the labels are not coming across. If anyone is a
Netscape expert in this area, I would greatly appreciate some help.
George Hagopian has first hand knowledge of the ark.
As a young child, he walked along the Ark's planks with his uncle. Artist, Elfred Lee,
drew this picture of the Ark as directed by George Hagopian. (Click here to read "The Rest of the Story".)
Several other people have claimed to have seen the Ark. But none have captured its
image. The closest we can come is that of Elfred Lee who drew the above picture from
George Hagopian's memory. It is this exterior which I have chosen to be the model for the
3D Ark.
However, as I began developing the 3D Ark, I found that the windows on the top of the
ship are out of proportion to the body of the ship. For example, the height of the Ark is
to be 30 cubits (Gen 6:15). And the windows on the top of the Ark "shall finish it a
cubit above" (Gen 6:16). Thus a ratio of 1/30. When measured, Lee's picture shows a
ratio of 1/6.3 producing windows 4.7 cubits high.
Okay, big deal. So what! Well, what I noticed when I "built" my ark was, the
windows on top of the ark seemed very small. And I though that I had
"built" it wrong. But once I investigated this I found that I was correct and
Lee's drawing is misleading. (Sorry George and Elfred.)
Okay, when you take the aforementioned interior and
exterior and put them all together, what do you get?
When I first found Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), I thought it would be like
Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). HTML creates these pages. Notice the ".htm"
extensions in your browser's "Location" window. VRML creates another world.
These files are noted by the ".wrl" extensions. These are three dimensional
worlds in which you can move around, interact and experience.
The VRML language is very complicated. You need an interface like Virtual Home Space Builder or equivalent. Although we
live in three dimensional space, it is extremely difficult to tell the computer how
to build "our" 3D world.
Additionally, as I began this project, I found that my 486 SX 33MHz computer would not
do it. It did not have a "math co-processor". This little piece of hardware
helps the computer build the three dimensional space for you to enjoy. Specifically for
this project, I upgraded my computer to a Pentium 100MHz 16 MEG.
Can your browser (the tool your using now to read this page) handle VRML? Quickest way
to find out is to load the 3D Ark below. If your browser does NOT work as it is, then you
will need a "plugin". Try this link to obtain one that works: Cosmo Player and click on the free download for your
machine.
Therefore, to view this creation, you will need:
1) 486 DX or faster (this has a math co-processor)
2) 8 MEG or more of memory
3) Browser plugin which can handle VRML 1.0. (like Cosmo Player)
Now, the event you've ALL been waiting for! The 3D
space no one has seen until now! The one, the only:
But first, a preview: for those stuck in
second gear, here's a 2D glimpse of what you'll see. If you can't see it with your browser
or system, find a friend who's got the goods and see it with them.
You'll begin your encounter with the Ark on the outside. See the little red patch on
the lower right corner of the "Exerior View"? There's a sign there which gives
credit where credit is due. And to the right of the sign you'll see Clothespin
Man. This figurine is 5' 9" (175 cm) tall: the average size of a man. Walk
backwards away from the Ark and be amazed at the size of the ship. The Ark is 45 feet
tall. Each deck is 15 feet high. Did you read that! Each deck is 15 feet high! What did
they put in those stalls?! Dinosours? Think about Clothespin Man
as you are touring, check it out, and you tell me!
If your browser has "Collision Detection OFF" you may procede forward through
the wall of the Ark and you will be instantly inside on the Lower (bottom) Deck of the
Ark. According to Kircher this is the "Zootropheion" which held the majority of
the animals.
"Slide" to the upstairs to see the Middle Deck (Bromatodocheion Level)
containing supplies and the Upper Deck (Ornithotropheion Level) containing birds and
living quarters.
Remember, you may need a "plugin" to experience the 3D ark. Try this
link to obtain one that works: Cosmo Player and
click on the free download for your machine.
Then, to begin your journey click here!
