Noah's Ark Cross-section 1/32 Scale
The 1/32 scale model of the
cross-section of the ark. This view shows the interior and the three
decks. The inside and outside was coated with pitch. A window was
set in the ark 18 inches (one cubit) from the top (Gen 6:16). Notice the
size of the ark in comparison to the larger animals such as the hippopotamus.
A view of the three decks and
the various caging systems. The overall capacity of the ark was more
than1,500,000 cubic feet. This is the capacity equal to the volume carried by
570 railroad stock cars. If these stock cars were laid end to end the
length of the train would be 5 1/2 miles long. The interior of the ark
could contain 21 college basketball courts on its three decks. The deck
space would be about 101,000 square feet. The ark could hold about 40,000
sheep sized animals in about 33% of its capacity. This would leave more
than two-thirds of the arks interior for other uses. Probably far less
than this amount of animals was loaded on board the ark. In reality the ark was
probably too big!
Many people are under the
mistaken impression that the ark would have been overloaded. This is based
on some common misconceptions. In reality the animals loaded in the ark
would have been land living, air breathing animals sorted by kind (not species).
This view of the model and its caging systems shows that the ark contained the
animals outlined in the Biblical record (Genesis 6:17-20)
A view of the ark showing the
top and middle decks. The cistern system is shown on the upper deck.
It would gravity feed water to the caging systems and the lower decks. The
ancients commonly made piping from bamboo and clay tubing. On the middle deck is
shown a self-cleaning, self-watering, and self-feeding caging system.
These type of caging systems would reduce the amount of labor need to care for
the animals
Here Noah is shown feeding
some of the ark's occupants. Most biblical scholars estimate between 2,000
to 35,000 animal were on board the ark. When manpower studies
are done of the amount of labor need to care for all the animals it is apparent
that 8 people working 60 hours a week could easily have cared for all the
animals. There would have been enough time to observe the Sabbath day rest
Genesis 2:1-3.
As shown in this picture the ark carried a
wide representation of the animals that inhabited the earth. This was
necessary because the flood was a global flood. All air breathing land
living animals would have been exterminated. In reality the ark was a huge
ocean going vessel that could easily have done what God required it to do.