ron wyatt Archives - Noah's Ark Scans

Andrew Jones

Noah’s Ark Researcher

Connecting Scholars and Enthusiasts: A Look Back at the 7th International Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Symposium

Our organization had the distinct privilege of playing a central role in organizing and presenting at the 7th International Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Symposium. The event, held at Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University in Ağrı, Turkey, October 2023 brought together academics, researchers, and enthusiasts from around the globe to explore one of history’s most enduring mysteries—the story of Noah’s Ark and the Ararat region.

Facilitating Key Contributions

Our efforts included helping to coordinate and present two well-received papers during the symposium. These presentations added depth to the discussions and highlighted cutting-edge research related to the Ark narrative and its historical context. One of the papers can be downloaded here https://noahsarkscans.com/inscription-border-search-report/

Additionally, we were instrumental in securing the event’s two keynote speakers (Dr. Randall Younker and Dr. Jiri Moskala), ensuring that the symposium delivered compelling and authoritative perspectives to its attendees. This collaboration exemplified our commitment to fostering dialogue between diverse groups, enhancing the academic and cultural richness of the symposium.

Building International Bridges

A significant highlight was bringing Andrews University from Berrien Springs, Michigan, USA, into partnership with Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University. This collaboration between an American institution and the main local Turkish university underscored the global significance of the event. By bridging these academic communities, the symposium advanced international cooperation in archaeological and historical studies.

Groundbreaking Announcements

The symposium was marked by exciting updates from Dr. Mustafa Kumral of Istanbul Technical University and Ağrı İbrahim Çeçen University. The institutions announced the initial results of their ongoing archaeological surface survey on Mount Ararat and the surrounding region. These findings captured worldwide attention, with media outlets reporting on the developments and generating renewed interest in the Ark’s possible historical and geographical reality.

One of the symposium’s most significant moments was an interview with then vice rector, Dr. Faruk Kaya, on the final day, who shared insights into the survey results. Dr. Kaya’s thoughtful commentary earned positive press coverage and further elevating the symposium’s profile.

A Warm Welcome at the Durupinar Noah’s Ark Visitor Center

To enrich the experience for our tour group and fellow attendees, Noah’s Ark Scans hosted a special gathering at the Durupinar Noah’s Ark Visitor Center. Participants enjoyed desserts and drinks in the picturesque setting, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. The hospitality extended during this gathering highlighted the unique blend of scholarship and community that defined the event.

Looking Ahead

The 7th International Mount Ararat and Noah’s Ark Symposium was more than just an academic gathering—it was a celebration of human curiosity and collaboration. By bringing together institutions, scholars, and enthusiasts, the event paved the way for future research and exploration into one of history’s most fascinating legends.

We are honored to have contributed to this important event and look forward to continuing our mission of connecting people and ideas to uncover the truths of our shared past. Stay tuned for the 8th International Symposium which will be held next year in October 2025. Hope to see you there! Please don’t forget us in your year end donations to continue our work.

Andrew Jones

Noah’s Ark Researcher

Hello from Turkey and the mountains of ancient Urartu (Ararat) where Noah’s ark landed. Summer is almost upon us here. Flowers

Last summer (2020), Zafer Onay and I were invited to a meeting with a group of Turkish scientists and officials at the Noah’s ark boat formation site. It was some of the same scientists and officials from our 2019 meeting on the site except this time we, also, met an archaeo-geophysicist / geophysical engineer from Istanbul University. We had in the group two Turkish archaeologists (one a professor of archaeology doing work in the region at Urartu archaeological sites), Assist. Prof. Dr. Fethi Yuksel, and two Ministry of Culture and Tourism officials (one from Ankara and the other the tourism manager of this province). After an initial meeting at the visitor center, five of us headed down to the boat formation for a survey of the ark site.

Dr. Yuksel did a field-walking or pedestrian survey of the ark site along with one of the other archaeologists and Zafer Onay and myself. Dr. Yuksel is a professor in the geophysical engineering department at Istanbul University and an expert in geophysical surveys (i.e. Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Ground-penetrating Radar (GPR)). After the pedestrian survey was completed we held another meeting at the visitor center and Dr. Yuksel was tasked with writing up the project plan and budget for phase one. We finally received the project documents in October 2020. This plan is the basis for the scientific project on NoahsArkScans.com.

Last November, after we received the project documents, Zafer and I flew to Istanbul to meet with Dr. Yuksel and Sait Yardimci. We were able to go over the project budget in detail.

With winter arriving in the mountains of eastern Turkey and snow falling already in Dogubayazit I decided to stay in Istanbul over the winter after guiding some friends from California around there in early December. I met up with Dr. Yuksel and Sait Yardimci a number of times during my winter stay in Istanbul. We were able to film some promo videos and I was able to visit Dr. Yuksel at Istanbul University and get a private tour of some of the sites he has done GPR scans at on the university property.

With summer here a date was set for the whole team to come out to eastern Turkey to finalize the plans for the project on-site. With 4 days on the ground, the team was able to meet daily and see the different sites associated with the Noah’s ark research project and meet key archaeologists doing other work in the region. This year’s work is a necessary step and the most important one to reach our goal.