From http://www.worldofthebible.com/
Q. We had a man named Ron Wyatt who came to our city and claimed that he had discovered Noah's Ark and even the Ark of the Covenant? Is this for real?
A. Ron Wyatt, who has been telling his tales of discovering
Noah's Ark, the chariots of Pharaoh, the pillars of Solomon, the
true Mt. Sinai, the tomb of the Patriarchs, Sodom &
Gomorrah, the place of Christ's crucifixion, and the Ark of the
Covenant for many years, has been documented as an archaeological
fraud. Both former "friends" as well as professional
archaeologists in his own denomination (Seventh- Day Adventist)
have published detailed refutations of all of his "discoveries."
Rather than go into such details here we refer those interested
in the documentation against Wyatt to request a free packet of
papers by archaeologists in Wyatt's denomination from: Dr. David
Merling, Associate Director & Curator, Institute of Archaeology,
Horn Archaeological Museum, Andrews University, Berrien Springs,
MI 49104-0990.
(E-Mail: hornmusm@andrews.edu). Extensive examinations of his most extravagant claims may be found on the Internet at: http://www.tentmaker.org/WAR/ (and especially the following at this site:
http://www.tentmaker.org/WAR/Fenner.html
http://www.tentmaker.org/WAR/BaumgardnerLetter.html
http://www.tentmaker.org/WAR/HasNoahsArkBeenFound1.html
http://www.tentmaker.org/WAR/HasNoahsArkBeenFound2.html,
http://www.icr.org/pubs/imp/imp-231.htm
http://www.answersingenesis.org/Docs/526.asp
http://www.answersingenesis.org/Docs/1154.asp
http://www.fui.com/cim/reports/wyatt.txt
http://www.mysite.xtra.co.nz/~Papanui
Yet, despite the fact that Wyatt has never submitted verifiable
evidence for his claims to competent authorities, his books, video
tapes and lectures in churches and at hotel meeting rooms (with
the Prophecy Club) have won him a fervent following among less
discerning Christians. Concerning the claims that most excite
his audiences - his supposed discovery of Noah's Ark and the Ark
of the Covenant - we may briefly state the following. His Noah's
Ark site had been examined and long abandoned by Ark hunters and
geologists as a natural formation before Wyatt and others came
to the spot, and it has continued to be proven to be such (even
though the Turks gave it credibility for the sake of tourism).
There are eight other smaller formations like it in the area,
so if this is Noah's Ark there must have been a fleet of them!
As to the Ark of the Covenant, Wyatt says that he found it along
with the Table of Shewbread, the Golden Altar of Incense, and
the Menorah (a seven-branched candelabra) which stood in the
ancient Temple, in a cave inside the hill called "Gordon's
Calvary" in eastern Jerusalem. Wyatt even says he scrapped
blood off of the Mercy Seat of the Ark, had it analyzed and found
it to have half the normal number of human chromosomes (therefore,
the blood of the Virgin born Christ). He further says that the
Ark was positioned in such a way so that when Christ was crucified
His blood fell through a hole in the cliff above and landed on
the Mercy Seat (thus fulfilling the atonement typified by
this object). While such a story thrills audiences, "Gordon's
Calvary" cannot be the place of Christ's crucifixion. It
has no archaeological support, whereas the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher, identified with Christ's crucifixion since the
4th century A.D. has much). "Gordon's Calvary" at the
site of the Protestant "Garden Tomb" is part of a complex
of First Temple tombs (about 600 years before Christ), but the
New Testament says Jesus tomb was "newly hewn" ().Wyatt's
"discoveries" have been rejected by real archaeologists
not because, as Wyatt contends, they are jealous, or lack faith,
but because his stories are unsubstantiated by facts. If facts
are the basis for our faith (Christ actually died and rose again),
then it is no lack of faith to demand of those with incredible
claims that they be supported with evidence. The bottom line is:
Wyatt has given us nothing to believe, so believe nothing he says!
Posted November 20, 1999
ARCHEOLOGY WITH RON WYATT: a personal account by Bernard Brandstater
Date: Thu, 8 Aug 1996 10:13:12 +0300 (IDT)
From: jo@israntique.org.il
To: jsearcy@connecti.org.il
Cc: Harriet@israntique.org.il
Subject: Re: Ron Wyatt
Dear Mr. Searcy
Mr. Ron Wyatt is neither an archaeologist nor has he ever carried out a legally licensed excavation in Israel or Jerusalem. In order to excavate one must have at least a BA in archaeology which he does not possess despite his claims to the contrary. We are aware of his claims which border on the absurd as they have no scientific basis whatsoever nor have they ever been published in a professional journal. They fall into the category of trash which one finds in tabloids such as the National Enquirer, Sun etc. It's amazing that anyone would believe them. Furthermore, he has been thoroughly discredited by various Christian organizations such as Creation Research in Calif. For the latest on his "discoveries" I suggest going into the WWW (use Vista) someone called Tentmaker decided to do an expose of his various claims. Here you will find the truth, which is more amazing that his (RW) fictions.
Shalom
Joe Zias
Curator of Anthropology/Archaeology
Israel Antiquities Authority
POB 586, Jerusalem
Tel. 972 2 292624
Ê
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shalom, if you have stirred up a wasps nest you must be doing something good.
I can be quoted on the following:
A. Ron Wyatt has never received a license from the IAA to excavate here in
Jerusalem. If he has then let him produce a license for his digs and surveys
in Jerusalem, the Judean Desert, Mt. Sinai etc.
B. Finding a coin at the so called Mt. Sinai. This shows the total ignorance
of RW and his public who want to believe rather than to know! Coins were not
around at the times of Moses, even an amateur archaeologist should know this
simple fact!!! There are so many so called Mt. Sinais that even the Jews do
not know where it is located. Personally I believe that it is simply a
literary invention which is why it will never be found. (Comment/Correction: The preceding quote
about coins has been made without any proof and seems to be absolute .
Is he saying there was no coins by this time in history? Joe Zias, Curator of Anthropology/Archaeology,
Israel Antiquities Authority, POB 586, Jerusalem, Tel. 972 2 292624. Added 1/29/06)
C. As for the chariot wheel, a bluff, produce it, on what was the dating
made? Saw it in the video, it looks like a hoax. If it exists date it in a
C-14 lab. As a amateur arch. which he claims to be he should know of many.
D. The Noah's ark discovery has been discredited. If it is true, and I saw
the tape, show lab reports on the C-14 lab report.
E. I personally read the junk about the blood of Christ which is totally
absurd. I immediately sent a fax to RW as I knew he was bluffing asking for
a) copy and address of the lab report and b) sample for some independent
testing which we would do. As of yet we have not received any reply, I sent a
colleague who is a professor of NT to Tenn. to see what was up and the person
in charge of the museum there said that we in the IAA are a bunch of
non-believers and they weren't interested in providing such info. to us.
F. I saw his video which is an embarrassment to the world of arch. The only
people who can believe this junk is one who has never studied arch. As for
the impt. archaeologists he mentions in his reports. I have never heard of
one of them after 25 yrs in the profession. As for the James Irwin, what are
his credentials regarding the world of Biblical Arch. Did he have a BA in the
profession, he was conned into believing this as have many others who wish to
believe rather than to know.
G. Has RW ever had any of his impt. so called discoveries published in a peer
reviewed journal? If so why not?
H. Lastly if RW can supply us with the lab report on the so called blood of
Jesus along with a sample for independent testing which shows 24 chromosomes
I will then be led along the road to Damascus. Otherwise he is bluffing.
Joe Zias
Curator of Anthropology/Archaeology
Israel Antiquities Authority
POB 586, Jerusalem
Tel. 972 2 292624
Updated July 30, 2004.