A Letter from Lorence G. Collins

Department of Geological Sciences
California State University Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8266
October 15, 1996
email [email protected]
FAX 818-677-2820

Mr. Gary Amirault
Tentmaker
HCR Box 6D
Hermann, MO 65041

Dear Gary,

      As an addition to your web site which is entitled: "Wyatt Archaeological Research Fraud Documentation," I wish to report an article which has been recently published. The reference is:

      Collins, L. G. and Fasold, D. F., 1996, Bogus "Noah's Ark" from Turkey Exposed as a Common Geologic Structure. Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 44, p. 439-444.

      In this article David Fasold and I report aerial photography analyses of the supposed ark structure and the surrounding terrain, chemical (electron-microprobe) analyses of the supposed iron bracket in the ark structure (as obtained by John Baumgardner), chemical analysis of a drogue stone, optical studies of thin sections of rocks in the ark structure, of the supposed iron bracket, and of a drogue stone, and thin-section studies of the ribbed-rock interpreted by Ron Wyatt as fossilized reeds. These studies all show that the ark structure is a natural rock formation composed of layers of volcanic boulders and clay and that the drogue stones and ribbed rock are volcanic or metavolcanic rocks that could not have been transported to the site in Turkey from Mesopotamia. There is no evidence of any fossilized wood or any other man-made artifact. The supposed iron bracket is oxidized iron (limonite or goethite) produced by weathering of titaniferous magnetite which naturally occurs in the volcanic rocks or in eroded sediments derived from such volcanic rocks. The boat-like shape of the structure can be explained as resulting from natural folding of layers consisting of former stream-transported sediments locally containing abundant volcanic boulders and pebbles and from subsequent erosion.

      In short, none of Ron Wyatt's claims that this rock structure is a fossilized remnant of Noah's Ark has any merit.

Sincerely,

Lorence G. Collins
Professor of Geology (emeritus)