Almost since Moses reported the great flood and the ark that survived it in the Bible's book of Genesis, men have searched Mount Ararat for remains of the life-saving craft.In this century, Ed Davis of Albuquerque was one of the few who, before his death in 1998 at age 95, claimed to have seen the ark.But it was Mountainair's Don Shockey who told Davis' story to the world in his book "Agri-Dagh, Mount Ararat— The Painful Mountain" and who continues trying to prove that what Davis saw in 1946 was indeed Noah's Ark.In the book, Davis recounts to Shockey his experiences in and near Hamadan, Iran, while serving with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1943. Mount Ararat rises from within the Turkish borders near Iran and Russia.Davis said he was shown artifacts from the ark and held them in his hands. Then, accompanied by the family of a man who represented himself as a guardian of the ark, Davis said he was taken to it.Since writing the book Shockey has himself scaled Mount Ararat three times— in 1984, 1989 and again in 1990.Countless TV and radio appearances, including an episode of the popular "Unsolved Mysteries" series, have given thousands of people a look at Shockey's own photographs of the mountain and what appears to be an object resting high on a northern slope. Shockey believes this object is the ark.But Shockey, a true New Mexican who made all three climbs to the snowline in cowboy boots, has never been able to get close enough to gather conclusive evidence of his find.On the 1984 trip that resulted in the now-famous photos, he said, climbing permits issued by the Turkish government and enforced by guides did not allow him to cross into the distant area where the object was resting.On subsequent trips— including 1989, when Shockey rented a helicopter to photograph the object from the air and hopefully land nearby— he said he was prevented by border hostilities and military actions taking place in Russia and Iran.If proven, the finding of Noah's Ark would validate Christianity and set the world on its ear, Shockey said in a recent interview at his Mountainair home."Gilbert Grosvenor (chairman) of National Geographic said it would be the single most important archaeological find in the world," Shockey said.
View: Full Article | Source: Mountain View Telegraph
