Eh, it's all there if you take the time to look for it. The Daily Star reveals
things that scholars have searched for through the ages.
things that scholars have searched for through the ages.
Quote:Legendary Bible sites including Noah’s Ark FOUND on 1,000 year-old map.SOURCE:
An “unfathomable” map pinpointing the sites of several legendary Christian events has
finally been decoded –and is set to unlock many of the religion’s riddles.
'The Hereford Mappa Mundi’s intricate ink illustrations in black, gold, green and blue reflect a
medieval European understanding of the known world at the time –and among the 500 ink
drawings lies incredible evidence for the location of key Bible stories.
The 1.5 metre-square cartography classic remains one of the greatest surviving artworks
of the Middle Ages. East, rather than North, is found at the top of the map, as this orientation
represents the rising of the sun and the second coming of Christ, found sitting at the top.
And the world is laid out in a circle. Because of its Christian framework, Jerusalem sits at
its centre, a common theme in medieval mapmaking. Noah’s Ark –clearly depicted as a boat
filled with creatures with a bearded man at the helm –is found in the bottom-left of the ancient
artefact, and locates it on the modern-day Iran-Armenia border.
According to Genesis, God told Noah to enter the ark with his household and animals before
a devastating flood. The ship then floated for 150 days until coming to rest on Mount Ararat
when the water finally began receding.
And incredibly, the medieval map tallies with the recent discovery of traces of the legendary
vessel on Mount Ararat, in eastern Turkey. Close to the centre of the map largest building on
the map is the five-storey Tower of Babel.
The sheer size of the elaborate drawing, as well as the details of the text on the map, emphasise
the arrogance and pride of the people who were said to build a tower so high that it might
challenge God.
In the biblical legend, God’s punishment ultimately caused humanity to speak in different languages.
It was widely considered that Shinar, where the Bible says the Babel event took place, was a territory
in south Mesopotamia; and that Babel was located at Babylon.
An analysis of the map, however, locates it in what is northeastern Syria today.
The earthly paradise, Eden, is represented by a circular island at the eastern extreme of the
world (the top). The drawing on the map shows an Eden that is inaccessible to humanity.
It is surrounded by a ring of fire, separated from the land masses by water, walled and battlemented,
and its gates are firmly closed.
Within the wall, Eve holds out her hand to take the fruit of the tree of knowledge from a demon-headed
serpent who lurks in the branches of the tree. To the right of the map’s centre snakes a long, curving
line that cuts a path through a red-ink Red Sea, which marks the route of the children of Israel out of
slavery in Egypt and towards the “Promised Land”.
Hereford Cathedral’s Commercial director Dominic Harbour said: “The map disarms anybody who
stands in front of it. It’s really a cacophony of too much going on at the same time.
“The map’s unfathomable, really. You have to immerse yourself into it.”
As well as plotting the position of legendary Bible stories in the known world, it also depicts monstrous
and unnatural creatures in the unknown world. The legendary unicorn is depicted on the map, with a
single, long horn.
Named Monoceros, the unicorn was often linked to Jesus. It was reputed to be strong enough to battle
elephants, but could be tamed by innocent and virtuous young women. Various strange and wonderful
people are also represented; among monstrous peoples are the Blemmye –a war-like race of people
with no heads, and with facial features in their chests...'
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe.