"[The wife of an] assignment editor of a major television station in [Nashville]... was told by one of Ron Wyatt's sons [either Ronny or Danny] that the chariot wheels that Ron supposedly discovered in the Gulf of Aqaba were planted there by Ron..."
--Gary Amirault in Dew From Mt. Hermon periodical
"I am almost 100% certain that Ron 'planted' them [rivets on the Ark]..."
--email from John Baumgardner to Gary Amirault on 26 September 1996
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"Wyatt Archaeological Research Fraud Documentation... we are dealing here with nothing short of an outright scam... 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.... Which museum is housing the ancient chariot wheels he claimed to have been from the Red Sea Crossing? There is no evidence because the video is a fraud. On the Noah's Ark video, all the so-called scientific data cannot be duplicated, a clear sign that what was given the labs was false data..."
--Gary Amirault
"We are aware of his [Ron Wyatt's] claims which border on the absurd as they have no scientific basis whatsoever nor have they ever been published in a professional journal. They fall into the category of trash which one finds in tabloids such as the National Enquirer, Sun etc. It's amazing that anyone would believe them. Furthermore, he has been throughly discredited by various Christian organizations such as Creation Research in Calif... Finding a coin at the so called Mt. Sinai. This shows the total ignorance of RW and his public who want to believe rather than to know! Coins were not around at the times of Moses, even an amauter archaeologist should know this simple fact!!! There are so many so called Mt. Sinais that even the Jews do not know where it is located. Personally I believe that it is simply a literary invention which is why it will never be found... As for the chariot wheel, a bluff, produce it, on what was the dating made? Saw it in the video, it looks like a hoax. If it exists date it in a C-14 lab... I personally read the junk about the blood of Christ which is totally absurd. I immediately sent a fax to RW as I knew he was bluffing asking for a) copy and address of the lab report and b) sample for some independent testing which we would do. As of yet we have not received any reply, I sent a colleague who is a professor of NT to Tenn. to see what was up and the person in charge of the museum there said that we in the IAA are a bunch of non-believers and they weren't interested in providing such info. to us... conned into believing this as have many others who wish to believe rather than to know..."
--email from Joe Zias to J. Searcy on 8 August 1996
"... 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."
--letter from Lorence Collins to Gary Amirault on 15 October 1996
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"... In 1987 I returned to Turkey and did a methodical and complete ground penetrating radar study of the entire site. The first order of business was to duplicate Wyatt's results to support his conclusions. An inordinate amount of time (1.5 out of 3 days of intensive work) was spent trying to duplicate Wyatt's findings. We were unable to do so.
The only scientific conclusion that can be made was that the original data was erroneous. At best incompetence or, at worst fabrication of the data are the only possible explanations. Given Mr. Wyatt had no working knowledge on how to operate the system nor interpret the radar data (I tried to train him) and, my previous experience with him in Turkey, I concluded it was the former and not the latter. ( A Christian must always give the benefit of doubt.) ..."
--email from Thomas Fenner to Gary Amirault on 7 October 1996
"... I recently read Ron Wyatt's book, DISCOVERED; NOAH'S ARK [*], and was appalled. It is one of the most disgusting books I have read. Naturally I have no problem with the discovery of Noah's ark, but the multitude of inaccuracies and errors certainly turns one off who has some information. Even the uninformed person should be suspicious when one individual claims to have found so many important artifacts that others have never found after years of diligent search.
Concerning growth rings: Wyatt refers to extinct giant club mosses that do not have growth rings as evidence that preflood trees do not have growth rings. The giant club moss, Sigillaria, could be compared with papaya, or banana or other fast-growing trees with pulpy wood. Yes, it does not have growth rings but that is not evidence for preflood conifers or deciduous trees. They do have good growth rings. I have spent years studying petrified trees in various areas of North America, in Patigonia, and in Australia... May God bless you..."
--letter from Harold Coffin to David Merling on 13 January 1993
"... Unfortunately, there are two individuals [Ron Wyatt? and Jonathan Gray?] which feel otherwise, and promote the site as the remains of Noah's Ark. Neither have geologic or archaeologic training, and in their investigations both have used methods which are not reliable in gathering their data. Furthermore, they have not allowed others to see their data, preferring instead to make statements about the data only. Both can give convincing talks on the subject, and both have written books describing their experiences (not their data), but to my knowledge, all who have critically evaluated the site and/or the methods and reports of the two advocates are convinced that both are mistaken. In fact, many of their claims are in direct conflict with facts I and others have gathered at the site..."
--John D. Morris (Professor of Geology at Institute for Creation Research)
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He seemed to be one of the most humble, loving, honest and sincerely Christian men you could meet... However, be aware that those outside of the Wyatt camp have not been able to verify his data. Whenever trained archaeologists, scientists or other experts asked to examine the evidence, there were always reasons why he couldn't produce it. This is not simply a matter of disagreement with his views. Nor is it an attempt to falsely discredit an honest researcher. Many of these experts are people of integrity and genuine Christian faith who did not set out to try to discredit anyone. Some are well known and respected in their fields. Much of Wyatt's research has been shown to be based only on circumstantial evidence at the best, to being outright fraudulent at the worst. If they can't see the evidence, perhaps we need to take a closer look. If Wyatt has defrauded or misled people in any way, then his claims and those who still promote them should be exposed. It is a discredit to the name of Christ if those who call themselves Christians continue to promote fraud (even if they have been doing it unknowingly)... Because I teach on the subject of Noah's Ark... Is Ron Wyatt the greatest archaeologist who ever lived? Or is there another explanation? ... "
--Linda Gunderson
"... While my acquaintance with him led me to reject his archeological findings, I persist in dealing gently with him as a well-intentioned person and as a Christian... I knew Wyatt well, and had an up-close opportunity to evaluate his claims and his personal credibility... 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-handed. The connecting channel through which Wyatt had claimed to see the furniture was not there. On the final day of excavation, when we could not see the internal cavern landmarks that Wyatt had predicted, Ron himself finally climbed down into the dim space. After a long time he emerged, looking confused. As we waited respectfully to hear his report, he mumbled a few words like: "It's not the same; it's changed. It's not the way I remember it." ... 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-teller himself had come to believe were absolutely true. I am inclined to believe that Wyatt was a florid example of this disorder. He was not a deliberate liar, a fraud. And some of his observations had merit. But I am convinced that some of his "discoveries" were matters which underwent transcription in his mind, and he came to believe as true certain ideas and observations that in fact were his own inventions... I do not know of any S.D.A. scholar who has given him serious favorable attention. He is an embarrassment to them."
--Bernard Brandstater
"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 person, not 'vision.'"
--Pam Dewey?
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"... 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..."
--Bill Fry
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In February 2006, I received The Exodus Revealed DVD from my parents, who are fundamentalist Christians. I watched it twice that same night. The video's approach sounds very reasonable: If the Bible's Exodus story is true, then we should be able to find some archeological evidence at the geographic locations described by the Bible, so let's travel to those locations and start digging. Using the Bible's description of the Exodus route, the video speculates that the Red Sea crossing site was at Nuweiba beach, in the middle of the Gulf of Aqaba, in 1000 foot deep water. Clearly no naturalistic explanation could explain a crossing in 1000 foot deep water, so if there is good evidence for such a crossing site, then the Bible might well be true, and it might really be a good idea to believe in Jesus unless one enjoys being roasted in Hell. Incredibly, the video shows two very convincing pieces of evidence found in the water off Nuweiba beach:
