In a Nutshell
Ron Wyatt was an amateur archaeologist whose work has gained wide attention in Christian circles before and after his death in 1999 because his efforts were claimed to yield tangible "proof" of many of the events in the Bible.
His findings were presented by himself and others in person and on tape to many church
groups in the US and around the English-
Wyatt's archaeological claims continue to be aggressively promoted in the US and around the world by both the official Wyatt Archaeological Research (WAR) organization which he founded, and a variety of independent ministries and interested individuals. A number of "prophetic" ministries, such as that of Michael Rood, [see the Profile of Michael Rood elsewhere on this Field Guide website] use Wyatt's materials extensively in establishing and promoting their own prophetic scenarios.
Wyatt seemed to have adopted a swashbuckling "persona" not unlike that of the fictional archaeologist "Indiana Jones" from the movies, and his exploits have become almost legendary in some Christian circles. The news of his claims has been widespread, and many Christians have swallowed those claims whole. They are unaware that almost all of Wyatt's most flamboyant claims are highly controversial and hotly contested. It is the purpose of this material to give an overview of the claims and provide documentation on the challenges to those claims by credible investigators.
The Claims
Ron Wyatt claimed to have discovered (or positively identified-
Noah's Ark
"Anchor stones" used by Noah for the ark
The Post-
The location of Sodom and Gomorrah
Sulfur balls from the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah
The point of the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea in Exodus
Debris from the pursuing army of Pharoah at the bottom of the sea
The site of the Biblical Mt. Sinai
A chamber at the end of a maze of tunnels under Jerusalem containing artifacts from Solomon's temple
The Ark of the Covenant
The stones on which God carved the Ten Commandments
The exact site of the crucifixion of Jesus
An earthquake crack under the crucifixion site made at the time of the death of Jesus
Blood of Jesus, which dripped down this crack onto the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, located in a chamber directly beneath the cross
Wyatt's Theology
Although in many of his public presentations Wyatt did not emphasize his personal theological underpinnings, he was in fact a devoted Seventh Day Adventist.
Many of his "conclusions" about the results of his efforts were based on SDA theology, and specifically the alleged visions and teachings of Ellen G White. White has historically been viewed by the SDA denomination as the only modern "prophet," whose prophetic ministry validated the identity of their organization as the Remnant True Church. [For details on the claims of the SDA denomination and their prophetess EG White, see the Profile of Seventh Day Adventism elsewhere on this Field Guide site.]
When sharing the news of his exploits with SDA audiences, Wyatt emphasized the spiritual,
doctrinal, and prophetic implications of his alleged finds. But when sharing those
same finds with non-
Many of Wyatt's claims have been challenged by numerous investigators, including archaeologists, scientists, Bible teachers and commentators, Israeli officials, and others with an interest in establishing or refuting those claims.
Wyatt and his promoters have, in general, refused to answer the questions raised by such detractors. Instead, they have most often chosen to address the questions in general by calling into question the sincerity or honesty of the questioner. They have typically done this by categorizing these individuals into several groups, all implied to have less than honest and reasonable causes for their attempts to refute Wyatt's claims:
Atheists who don't want to admit the truth of the Bible
Disgruntled rival archaeologists looking for glory for themselves
Religious people who disagree with Wyatt's theology and thus his conclusions about the significance of some of his "finds"
Disgruntled religious people who resent that the glory for discovery is going to a Seventh Day Adventist, rather than "one of their own"
In addition, Wyatt claimed in a number of instances that he could not reveal certain facts and evidence that would substantiate some of his claims because he was privately asked–or ordered–by unnamed Israeli authorities to withhold that information as it was believed to be "dangerous" for Israeli security.
Adapting to the Audience
The claims listed above are typical of those that Wyatt's promoters make in lectures and videos made for the general public. What is often missing are the somewhat more "supernatural" claims. These are reserved for unabashedly "religious" audiences … and some of them for particularly Seventh Day Adventist audiences.
For Wyatt claimed that many of his finds have been related to direct, divine intervention
rather than standard archaeological methods. And he has claimed at times during his
activities in the Middle East to have had direct visitations from both angels and
Jesus Christ himself-
In addition, he claimed in relation to his alleged discovery of the Ark of the Covenant
and the Ten Commandment stones that the stones would be "brought out" for the world
to see in fulfillment of "end time prophecy" as it is taught by the Seventh Day Adventist
denomination. When not directed to a strictly SDA audience, this prophetic scenario
was couched by Wyatt (and now by his successors) in quite general terms, which might
be accepted by many non-
The scenario indicates that some day in the very near future, the Anti-
What Wyatt's promoters seldom mention openly in such public gatherings is that Wyatt
(as all loyal SDA members) believed that the Mark of the Beast is "Sunday-
The Allure
Research in many fields, from language studies to anthropology, during the past 100
years has brought many confirmations of the accuracy and dependability of the Bible
as it relates to human history. Still, many events, places, people, and objects described
in the Bible are not corroborated by any external written documents or physical evidence.
Many Christians find themselves at a disadvantage when trying to share their beliefs
about the Bible with non-
The materials put out by Ron Wyatt's promoters, especially the videos, are designed
to sweep the viewer along to an almost inescapable conclusion that here, at last,
is the hard evidence so many have so long sought. When you can "see it with your
own eyes" on tape, it is very difficult to even worry about the fact that the tape
may not be sharing "the whole story" about some of the evidence offered. Promotional
ads for the tapes and lectures emphasize wildly enthusiastic hype about what to expect,
and it is no doubt difficult to be in an audience of wide-
From a one-
Hold in your own hand pieces of brimstone from Sodom and Gomorrah…
Learn of the conspiracy to conceal the truth about the prophetic significance of the Ark of the Covenant and its contents.
Who doesn't love to be "in with the in crowd" who know all about the latest conspiracy
theory, whether it's about the death of JFK or Princess Di, or about the government
cover-
Concerns
Science Vs Ron Wyatt
Ron Wyatt was neither a professional archaeologist nor a specialist in any scientific field that would help him in evaluating the sites and items he claimed to have found.
He was a nurse-
What it does indicate is that he was not necessarily equipped to subject his speculations about sites and objects to rigorous scientific scrutiny. In the opinion of many who have investigated his claims, his speculations were often based on not much more than wishful thinking and scientific misconceptions. But once he had settled on a conclusion about what he had found, and had begun sharing those findings with the public, he and his supporters seemed extremely hostile and unreceptive to any questions about the accuracy of the scientific documentation that would have substantiated those finds. As Wyatt promoter Bill Fry puts it on the Anchorstone website …
He believed in the sciences but felt that often the scientist could not see past his own education and "think out of the box". He was concerned that today too many of us let the "people of letters" do our thinking for us.
For this reason Ron never relied on scientists or professionals to confirm his work. He employed scientific testing and then presented the results along with the biblical, historical, archaeological and scientific evidence in the belief that each person was capable of making their own decision.
The problem with this reasoning is that Wyatt did claim to use "scientific testing." And it is the scientific validity of that testing which is often the source of questions about Wyatt's claims.
The "belief that each person was capable" denies the reality that the average person is utterly unequipped to evaluate Wyatt's claims in a vacuum. It is only when those claims are challenged by alternative scientific information that the average person would have the slightest clue that Wyatt's claims might even be questionable.
It would appear that Wyatt's promoters extensively rely upon the fact that most audiences for videos, lectures, and articles about Wyatt's claims seldom come into contact with any "contrary" information about those claims. It has only been with the advent of the Internet that the average person has access to do meaningful comparison between the claims of Wyatt and the alternative explanations and evaluation of his critics. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of those who come under the influence of Wyatt's claims are so enamored of them … as "proof of the Bible" … that they may reject out of hand any contrary information as being "critical of the claims of the Bible."
This notion is reinforced by the efforts of Wyatt's supporters to categorize his critics as falling into the types mentioned in the "Claims" section above. But close examination of these categories shows that they are not persuasive:
Categorizing the Critics?
- Most atheists would not bother to refute the details of Wyatt's claims, as they
would dismiss him out of hand as a crackpot. The reality is that the vast majority
of websites addressing the claims critically appear to be sponsored by Bible-
believing Christians. - While there may indeed be some rivalries among amateur archaeologists such as Wyatt, most professional archaeologists have found so many discrepancies in Wyatt's claims that they do not appear to take him seriously at all.
- Religious people critiquing Wyatt's claims who disagree with his theology seem to
be able to distinguish between the two issues of scientific validity and theological
orthodoxy. It would be possible, for instance, to believe that he actually had found
the Ark of the Covenant if he provided any tangible evidence for the claim, and yet
still disagree with his assertions about the theological significance of the find.
It would appear from the variety of websites about the claims of Wyatt on the Internet
that the majority of those offering criticism are Bible-
believers who would be happy to see the Biblical accounts validated by solid evidence from archaeological finds. They are just not persuaded that Ron Wyatt has indeed found such evidence. - The most effective and thorough investigation of Wyatt's claims was not compiled into a book by anyone from a "rival religious group" … but rather by two men who are themselves dedicated SDA members. See the Bibliography at the bottom of this webpage for Holy Relics or Revelation by Russell and Colin Standish.
As for the excuse that a certain amount of his evidence and facts had to be withheld
at the request of authorities in Israel-
http://www.tentmaker.org/WAR/Zias.html
Wyatt offered so many excuses over the years for why he could not provide the public
with any really substantial evidence to support many of his claims that it is necessary
to believe in a massive conspiracy and cover-
Getting the Stories Straight
Another area of concern regarding Wyatt's claims involves the varying and sometimes conflicting reports about the details of his adventures. For instance, Mary Nell Wyatt, Ron Wyatt's wife, wrote a long, detailed description of the whole saga of the discovery of the chamber with the Ark of the Covenant. It is posted as an official record on the Wyatt Archaeological Research website. In this elaborate telling of the events, there is no mention of angels.
Yet in a description written 5/16/2000 regarding the same saga and time period on a rival "Wyatt Discoveries" site, Anchorstone.com, Wyatt associate Bill Fry goes into elaborate detail about Wyatt's claims that he saw four angels in the chamber. He said that they "cleaned up" the chamber and set out the Temple artifacts, that they removed the cover of the Ark exposing the Ten Commandment stones, that he was told by one of them to take out those stones, and that he discussed with that same angel a number of times how he should deal with the discovery.
Why the discrepancy? Fry's article is not the only source of information about Wyatt's angelic encounters. A number of websites include transcriptions of talks Wyatt gave at SDA meetings over the years in which he acknowledged the angelic stories. Here is one sample, an excerpt from a transcript of a sermon given by Wyatt in New Zealand 2/13/99:
Now this chamber where the Ark of the Covenant was placed -
The following comment on the revelation to the world of the Ark of the Covenant was part of the FAQ page of the Anchorstone: Wyatt Archaeological Discoveries website as of 7/1/2003.
When will the Ark be revealed to the world?
We get a lot of pressure from various people about this question but it is God that will dictate the timing of the revealing of the Ark of the Covenant and the tables of stone to the world. No man will make that decision. The timing of that revelation has been revealed to Ron Wyatt. However that revelation will be associated with certain events, not a specific date or time.
The time of the revealing of the Ark is not scheduled to coincide with any dedication or building of a temple or anything associated with it. However, there is an event that will be the signal for Ron to bring out the tables of stone from the place where they have been hidden for over 2500 years. That event will be when man's law forces a form of worship upon people that is contrary to God's law.
The obvious problem with this statement is that Ron Wyatt has been dead since 1999. So how will it be possible for him to "bring out the tables of stone"?
Kevin Fisher, on the Arkdiscovery.com website offers his speculation on how to reconcile this problem. Fisher quotes the 5/16/2000 material above by Fry, and inserts a bracketed comment of his own:
Fry had written …
"He [the angel in the chamber] then walked back over to Ron and told him two things. The first was that if Ron remained faithful, he would have a part in bringing out the tables of stone so that they might be put on display. The second was that the Ark was not to be revealed to the world or the tables of stone put on display until shortly after a law was passed that would attempt to enforce the mark of the beast upon people."
Fisher speculates:
This statement by the angel is most interesting in that Ron died on August 4, 1999. If "he was to have a part in bringing out the tables of stone," what did the angel mean? There are two possibilities. One is that Ron would have to be resurrected to do this, the other is that the angel meant that Ron's work in finding the ark (his part) would be brought to light when the tables would be put on display. Only the first one is really feasible to me, for the angel said that "if he remained faithful he would have a part." Now Ron was faithful to the end of his life, therefore, the second possibility is not applicable, for they will be brought out whether Ron was faithful or not. Time will tell.
The second part of the angel's comment "that the Ark was not to be revealed to the world or the tables of stone put on display until shortly after a law was passed that would attempt to enforce the mark of the beast upon people." If Ron is to be raised up to be a part of this scenario, this means that it would have to be at the time of the first Sunday law. The angel said that the tables of stone would be put "on display SHORTLY AFTER a law was passed that would attempt to enforce the mark of the beast upon people."
Shortly there will follow a death decree against all true Sabbath keepers and the time described as the time of Jacob's trouble would commence. This ends in the deliverance of the saints who refuse to receive the mark of the beast by keeping Sunday. At that time we are told by Ellen White, all those since 1844 who died keeping the third angel's message will be raised from their graves with their immortal bodies. This would of necessity be after the time of Jacob's trouble and at the time of the deliverance of the saints from the death penalty connected with the Sunday law and the mark of the beast. Thus if Ron is to have a part in the bringing out of the tables of stone, It seems like it would have to happen before the first resurrection of the saints after the death decree is issued. This would mean that he is to be raised before the others are raised. Again, time will tell!
References to Wyatt's angelic encounters appear on sites in a number of places on the Internet. So why would Mary Nell Wyatt leave out such astounding information from her official account of the events?
Examination of the Claims and Concerns
The Major Archaeological Claims
Click on the following link to go to a detailed Field Guide overview of the claims by Ron Wyatt and his supporters for his discovery Noah's Ark.
Supernatural claims of Ron Wyatt and his promoters
Many of those who have only seen a video, perhaps even made by a commercial TV network, about Wyatt's alleged discovery of Noah's Ark may be totally unaware of the numerous claims Wyatt made about supernatural incidents that happened throughout his career, including visits and discussions with angels and Jesus Christ. For an examination of these claims, to go to the following Field Guide article.
Overview of the Supernatural Claims Made for the Work of Ron Wyatt.
Other Claims
It is beyond the purpose and scope of this Overview of Wyatt's work to examine every single claim that he made. The documentation that is included should be enough to convince the average reader that many of Wyatt's claims need to be investigated through material outside of that published by his promoters before accepting the claims as "proven".
See the Documentation section at the end of this webpage for links to a number of websites which do a thorough job of examining and evaluating Wyatt's claims regarding the following, and much more:
The location of the Biblical Mt. Sinai
The location where the Israelites crossed the Red Sea
The underwater remains of Pharaoh's army
In addition, the book Holy Relics and Revelation (see Bibliography entry at the end of this webpage) provides considerable careful and persuasive documentation on the challenges to these and other claims.
Players
Major outreach efforts currently promoting the claims of Wyatt
Wyatt Archaeological Research (WAR) : "official" organization carrying on the Wyatt projects
Wyatt's wife, Mary Nell Wyatt, endorses and works directly with WAR.
Long-
WAR spreads information regarding the alleged discoveries of Ron Wyatt on the web via several domain names. It's primary website is:
Introductory comments:
You have reached the official source of all information that is found on the internet concerning the discoveries of Ron Wyatt: presented by Richard Rives, President of Wyatt Archaeological Research and subject to the unanimous approval of the Board of Directors, Wyatt Archaeological Research.
Mary Nell Wyatt had the following to say about Richard Rives:
http://www.wyattmuseum.com/meetings.htm
"Ron used to say that Christians must have a burden for souls. When Ron passed away,
there was only one man to step into his shoes, a man who also possessed a true burden
for souls. Richard Rives worked closely with Ron on the archaeological research and
field work in Turkey, Egypt and Israel from 1990 until Ron’s death in 1999. Richard
Rives has devoted his life to the work that God has given him-
HOWEVER-
Arkdiscovery.com: Web presence of Kevin Fisher, president of a non-
Kevin Fisher comments on the rivalry among Wyatt promoters after the death of Ron Wyatt in 1999:
Excerpt from: "Position on WAR" (Wyatt Archaeological Research)
http://www.arkdiscovery.com/war.htm
Before Ron died, he stated to fellow supporters that God had not impressed him to choose a successor to his position as president, and thus remained quiet on the issue. A WAR board meeting was held shortly after Ron’s death, where Mary Nell asked that Richard Rives be appointed president, because she assumed Ron would want Richard in that position.
Mr. Rives, representing WAR, then pursued an aggressive policy of threatening associates who had worked with Ron for years, or who had been promoting the discoveries independently. These included among others Jonathan Gray (surprising discoveries), Jim Pinkoski (pinkoski.com), Bill Fry (anchorstone.com), etc. WAR threatened them with lawsuits if they did not cease from using Ron’s photos and newsletters. Jim Pinkoski had operated Ron's first museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, drawn numerous illustrations for Ron, and was an active advocate of the discoveries. Mr. Fry had in his possession, a signed statement from Ron giving him authorization to use any of the photos and newsletters, but the new WAR refused to acknowledge this. Before Ron's death, more than 50 percent of all sales generated through the website operated by Mr. Fry and Anchor Stone, was donated to WAR, but this was not acceptable to the new board. Apparently after losing Ron and his outside income to support the ministry, a financial crisis was foreseen, thus an aggressive policy was pursued to hamper others from selling videos or books which contained any of Ron’s photos or newsletters.
Elsewhere on the Arkdiscovery site Fisher notes:
There are many negative statements on the Internet concerning Ron Wyatt. They are untrue and are part of Satan's attack on the discoveries of God. By attacking the man, the authenticity of the discoveries is then compromised.
There are no doubt some statements on the Internet which shed a negative light on Ron Wyatt. But careful examination of many of them would seem to indicate that it is the question of the "authenticity of the discoveries" that puts Wyatt in that negative light, not the other way around. If Wyatt and his promoters had provided legitimate documentation all along to establish that authenticity, then the light on Wyatt would be positive.
Anchorstone.com: Website begun by former Wyatt associate, the late Bill Fry. It is now headed by Wyatt/Fry associate Jerry Bowen.
Introductory comments to the site:
The Anchor Stone web site was one of the first established (April 1997) to feature Ron's Discoveries. It is the oldest remaining web site that contains virtually all of the material and newsletters he released during his lifetime.
From the beginning it was started with Ron's full approval and cooperation. We believe it contains the best and most accurate information on his work. We are constantly updating our material. It has become our goal to continue Ron's work and to conduct it in the same spirit he did.
Description of Bill Fry from the site before his death:
Internationally known speaker Bill Fry has been sharing these discoveries around the world for over 5 years. Bill was a personal friend of the late Ron Wyatt, worked with him on several projects and has continued his work since 1999.
Pinkoski.com: Website of Jim Pinkoski, curator of Wyatt's first museum, illustrator for a number of Wyatt's publications, created the official picture of the Ark of the Covenant according to the description given by Wyatt, used on some of the Wyatt literature.
From the introduction to the site:
Welcome to the one and only website on the Internet that contains an extensive "behind
the scenes" look at the museums and work of the late Ron Wyatt! I met Ron Wyatt in
1989 and worked with him for 10 years -
This website contains around 300 of my own personal photos!
The Wyatt Family Website: An outreach of Ron Wyatt’s daughter Michelle Wyatt Schelles and her husband Dennis.
Details of a feud between WAR and others promoting Wyatt's discoveries.
Excerpt from 9/5/2001 Anchorstone newsletter update (posted on Arkdiscovery.com)
QUESTIONS ABOUT EXODUS VIDEO
Speaking of Ron Wyatt's "Discoveries" getting national air time, a video has recently been produced on the Exodus and the Red Sea crossing site. This was a project by Dr. Lennart Moeller of Sweden. This video is being distributed internationally by Campus Crusade for Christ and other affiliated organizations. In my opinion it is the best work on this subject that I have seen to date.
However some of you have contacted me about why Ron Wyatt was not given any credit on this video. In fact his name is not even mentioned. Since so many are asking I need to tell you the story behind this. First of all I want to say that Dr. Moeller consulted with Ron on gathering the information for this video and Ron worked cooperatively with him giving him photos and video to use. The fact that Ron is not given any credit is not Dr. Moeller's fault. In fact, when the video was first being edited Ron was to receive mention several times in the video as well as the credits.
However, the leadership of Wyatt Archaeological Research (WAR) contacted Dr. Moeller and the production company (after Ron's death) and told them that they had decided that since they had no control over this video that they would not allow Ron's name or WAR to be mentioned at all. WAR also withdrew their permission for them to use any video clips or photos of Ron's even though this was Ron's intention. This created a situation where the video had to reedited so that all references to Ron and his work was removed.
In watching the video one is left with the distinct impression that Dr. Moeller and
company is attempting to take credit for this discovery. But that is not the case.
They are simply following the request of Ron's old organization which is another
reflection of their continuing problems. Therefore, Ron's dream of having this "Discovery"
distributed to millions has been tainted. While I am thankful that the information
will get out through this well-
6/6/2003
Bill Fry questions the decision by WAR to begin excavations related to the Ark of the Covenant again. Fry shares what he evidently intends to be viewed as "confidential" information Wyatt gave him before his death, which he believes to warn that any attempt to do what WAR claims it plans to do could lead to disaster for those involved.
10/9/2003 update on Fry’s concerns
The “WARring parties” evidently eventually decided to move on in their individual promotion of Wyatt’s claims, and ignore one another’s efforts. As of 2011, most hints of the previous battles are missing from their websites. Each just promotes their own videos and such about Wyatt’s “amazing discoveries.”
Who's Who of Ron Wyatt's World
Trying to sort through the conflicting claims of Ron Wyatt and his promoters, and the critiques and criticism of his detractors, can be a complicated task. Trying to keep track of the names of various "Israeli authorities," amateur and professional archaeologists, scientists, authors, rivals, and associates whose paths crossed Wyatt's during the years of his expeditions can easily lead to confusion.
Click here to go to a Who's Who in the World of Ron Wyatt that provides a brief description of a number of the significant of the players in this ongoing saga.
Personal from the Webauthor
At some point in the distant past, I remember hearing the name of Ron Wyatt. But it was only in passing, and I never saw any videos or read any material by him. The first time his claims were actually presented to me forcefully was at a five hour "Rood Awakening" prophetic seminar presented by Michael John Rood in 2001. [For details regarding that seminar, and information on the prophetic claims of Rood, see the profile of Michael Rood elsewhere on this Field Guide website.] Much of Rood's presentation that night consisted of slides regarding a number of Wyatt's alleged findings. A significant proportion of Rood's own prophetic speculations seemed to be very dependent on the validity of Wyatt's claims.
Rood brought up the fact that he was aware that some had questioned Wyatt's claims, but bombastically declared that his audience ought to pay absolutely no attention to such doubters. He particularly indicated that the primary reason that some were criticizing the claims was that the critics were not from Wyatt's religious background (he didn't clarify what that was) and thus they were jealous that he wasn't "one of their own."
At that point in time, I had been looking into Michael John Rood's own very controversial prophetic claims for some time, and found much that troubled me. I therefore was very curious to know if all of the material Rood was pushing that night about Wyatt's astounding finds was really substantiated by documentation and scientific verification.
Rood evidently has made the same sort of defense of Wyatt's claims in other seminars. Here is a quote from an audio tape available from his ministry, "In Everything Give Thanks: An Introduction to Archaeology."
If any of you are aware of any of the disparaging works or comments that have been written about any of his [Wyatt's] discoveries, I have seen them all and I have researched them all. And some of them I have believed until, until digging further found that many of them were just outright lies and they were made to discredit. They were a Cain job trying to discredit his brother Abel. It's the accuser of the brethren at work to keep these things hidden.
It is highly unlikely that Rood had "seen all" of the critiques of Wyatt's work, and "researched them all." He did not give any details in this tape regarding what the answers were to the questions surrounding Wyatt's evidences, nor can any such answers be found in other material by Rood.
After further investigation of Rood's claims, I have found them not credible.
And after further investigation of Wyatt's claims, I have to conclude that either Rood was lying about having "researched all" of the criticisms of Wyatt's works, or he is unable to reasonably evaluate the extensive amount of contrary evidence by reputable and credible investigators.
Evaluation
Bernard Bradstater knew Ron Wyatt personally and accompanied him on one of the archaeological projects aimed at taking others to see the alleged Ark of the Covenant hiding place. He provides a candid perspective on Wyatt's methods in ARCHEOLOGY WITH RON WYATT: a personal account .
Excerpt:
Over several days we were able to excavate our way down into the same cave system
that Wyatt had explored two years before. I'm sorry to report that in the end we
came up empty-
Our team was disappointed, puzzled, disillusioned. We
had enjoyed ten days of close fellowship, with daily shared prayer times, and an
excited anticipation of momentous events just before us. Now all those hopes came
crashing down. And sadly, Wyatt was not man enough to come clean, to apologize for
bringing us on a wild goose chase, or to attempt any kind of explanation. We kept
expecting some sort of statement, but he just remained silent, withdrawn. And we
were too stunned, and perhaps too sorry for him in his confusion, to demand that
he explain.
To this day I cannot give a rational account for the extreme misguidedness
that Wyatt revealed. What was happening in his head? His participation in our group
worship times had left all of us in no doubt about his sincerity and his devotion
to Scripture. He was a competent Bible scholar. He was a brother. Yet he had misled
us terribly, and had offered no words of regret or apology or explanation. I have
reviewed the whole story many times since then, and am convinced that the church
administrator was right: Wyatt might be mistaken, but he himself believed that what
he had originally shared was true.
From medical school I remember hearing of a rare
state of mind, with a long Latin name, that led its victims to concoct marvelously
detailed accounts of events that were pure fabrications, yet which the story-
Few people, even the most skeptical regarding Wyatt's more controversial claims, have been willing to label the man an outright charlatan and fraud. Many testify, just as Bradstater does above, to Wyatt's sincerity, devotion to God, zeal for the Bible, and dedication to what he believed to be his calling. Perhaps, after all, Bradstater is correct in evaluating the cause of the incredible record of discrepancies in Wyatt's career.
The history of religious movements for centuries has been overflowing with just such men and women … with charisma and enthusiasm so great that they are able to sweep many otherwise sensible people along into believing their own delusions.
Web Documentation
PLEASE NOTE: Inclusion of links to the following websites is not a blanket endorsement by the author of this Field Guide profile of all of the material on these websites. It is, rather, an indication that the investigation and commentary on these websites specifically regarding the claims of Ron Wyatt appear to be carefully documented and soundly reasoned.
The following link is to the Answers In Genesis website documentation regarding Wyatt's Noah's Ark claims. This website is specifically aimed at proving and promoting the Biblical account of Creation, and would be expected to be enthusiastic about any real "proof" for any of the material in the Book of Genesis.
http://www.answersingenesis.org/docs/1154.asp
The article on this webpage investigates in detail Wyatt's claims about Noah's Ark. The following is the introduction to the article.
Spectacular claims, a misleading video, people misquoted and misrepresented … It’s no wonder many have asked the question …
Could this be Noah’s Ark? by Andrew Snelling
First published in: Creation Ex
Nihilo 14(4):26–38 September–November 1992
No matter where you live, if you haven’t already heard about it, the promoters and
the media have been making sure you will. What then is the massive boat-
The Main Claims at a Glance
True/False?
Radar shows man-
There is a regular metallic pattern............FALSE
Lab tests show petrified laminated wood........FALSE
Turkish scientists found metal rods............FALSE
Metal artefacts have been proved by lab........FALSE
There are 'ship's ribs' showing................FALSE
There is lots of petrified wood................FALSE
Turkish Commission says 'it's a boat...........FALSE
A Great Christian Scam, article by Gary Amirault of the Tentmaker website, challenging Ron Wyatt's claims regarding the Noah's Ark discovery. The author of this material is a Biblical literalist, and would be expected to be enthusiastic about endorsing and promoting substantiated claims of discovery of items which would authenticate the Biblical accounts.
After publication of the article linked above, Ron Wyatt's Wyatt Archaeological Research organization challenged Amirault's facts. As a result, Amirault created a page on his website titled:
Wyatt Archaeological Research Fraud Documentation page:
Here are the introductory comments from that page:
Since the magazine "Dew from Mount Hermon" published the article "A Great Christian
Scam" exposing the so-
I have telephone interviewed most of the people on WAR's Noah's Ark video. Not one
single person I spoke with on that video presently believes that Ron Wyatt's site
is Noah's Ark. Some are outraged that Wyatt is still using film clips which make
them look like they are substantiating Wyatt's claims when, in fact, the opposite
is the case. Listed below are some of the individuals who appear on the video. Compare
the story WAR continues to sell with the actual words written by the scientists after
doing extensive research on the site. They no longer believe it is Noah's Ark. They
believe it is a natural geological formation. As to the so-
David Merling, Seventh Day Adventist archaeologist, has created a site which goes into detailed evaluation of some of Wyatt's claims. Here are his introductory comments:
Since 1986 I have been employed by Andrews University as an archaeologist. I have
a Ph.D. in archaeology and teach Old Testament, ancient history and archaeological
classes. As the administrative, associate director of the Institute of archaeology,
I am also the curator of the Horn Archaeological Museum and the Co-
Since I have been an archaeologist, I am often asked the same, few questions over and over again. Due to the frequency of these questions, to provide easy access to lay readers, and to use a medium that can easily updated with new information, I have created this web site.
Of particular interest would be his evaluation of the Noah's Ark claims, and then, at the end of that material, a useful list of seven "Guidelines for Evaluating Claims:
Guidelines for Evaluating Claims
The Institute of Archaeology at Andrews University regularly receives letters from
those who make claims of discoveries. For example, during the last few years several
individuals have claimed they know exactly where the ark of the covenant is located-
Other sources of information "Pro" and "Con" regarding the claims of Ron Wyatt
CON
David Fasold's recantation of his former support of Wyatt's claims
Ongoing research regarding various proposed sites for "the real Noah's Ark". Includes separate descriptions, documentation and evaluation of the claims of Wyatt and others.
The article regarding the Durupinar ark site on this webpage has a large collection of links to webpages for and against Wyatt's claims
PRO
Jim Pinkoski's attempt on Pinkoski.com to refute the Standish book Holy Relics or Revelation
Unfortunately, the article originally linked on this Field Guide about this topic is no longer on Pinkoski’s website. It is not clear if he removed it because he finally realized it was not an effective rebuttal, or for some other reason.
The definitive work examining the claims of Ron Wyatt is:
Holy Relics or Revelation-
Recent Astounding Archaeological Claims Evaluated
Standish, Russell R. and Colin D.
Hartland Publications, Rapidan VA
© 1999
Seventh Day Adventist authors Russell and Colin Standish examine the claims of Ron
Wyatt methodically and carefully. And they include extensive documentation and quotations
from first-
The 300 page paperback book is available for order via the web at
http://www.hartlandbooks.com//ez-
An e-
http://www.hartlandbooks.com//ez-
Unless otherwise noted, all original material on this Field Guide website
is © 2001-
Careful effort has been made to give credit as clearly as possible to any specific material quoted or ideas extensively adapted from any one resource. Corrections and clarifications regarding citations for any source material are welcome, and will be promptly added to any sections which are found to be inadequately documented as to source.
Return to Top of Page and the Navigation Bar
Overview of the Archaeological Claims of
Ron Wyatt