Flood in the Black Sea

Glenn Morton (grmorton@gnn.com)
Tue, 17 Dec 1996 21:05:31

The New York Times today in their science section has an article which says
that the water level in Black Sea rose 400 feet in one year 7500 years ago.
This would be a rate of about a foot per day. The two geologists, W.B.F.
Ryan, who was involved inthe discovery of the drying out of the Mediterranean,
and Walter Pitman speculate on whether this might be the event whcih caused
the legends of Noah's flood.

"Could it also be, they ask, that the Black Sea deluge left such enduring memories that this inspired the later story
of a great flood described in the Babylonian epic of Gilgamesh? In the epic, the heroic warrior Gilgamesh makes a
dangerous journey to meet the survivor of a great world flood and
learn from him the secret of everlasting youth.

"If a memory of the Black Sea flood indeed influenced the Gilgamesh story,
then it could also be a source of the Noah story in the Book of Genesis.
Scholars have long noted striking similarities between the Gilgamesh and
Genesis flood accounts and suspected that the Israelites derived their version
from the Gilgamesh epic or independently from a common tradition that might
have stemmed from a real catastrophe long before.
"Ryan and Pittman concede that a link between the Black Sea flood and
Gilgamesh and Noah may be a bit of a stretch. In a scientific report, they
stick mainly to their geological findings. But in informal lectures and a BBC
television documentary, broadcast Monday in Britain, they elaborate on the
possible implications for early agriculture and mythology, hoping, they say,
to promote a dialogue with other scientists and scholars." December 17, 1996,
"Black Sea Deluge May Be Tied to Spread of Farming in Europe" By JOHN NOBLE
WILFORD. Copyright 1996 The New York Times Company

and

"The two Lamont-Doherty geologists began their research when they were
invited by the Russian Academy of Sciences to join an expedition three years
ago. They had just learned from Dr. Petko Dimitrov of the Bulgarian Institute
of Oceanology in Varna that he had detected some former beaches of the Black
Sea, when its water level seemed to be more than 400 feet lower.
"Earlier research had established that the Mediterranean once
virtually dried up and was replenished after the ice age and that the Black
Sea once was a fresh-water basin. But it was thought that the connection
between the two seas occurred gradually. "December 17, 1996, "Black Sea
Deluge May Be Tied to Spread of Farming in Europe" By JOHN NOBLE WILFORD.
Copyright 1996 The New York Times Company

When I came up with my view I looked long and hard for a flood which would be
at this time. The Mediterranean simply wouldn't cooperate. But as I have
learned more, I do not think the flood could have occurred within the past
12000 years. I am certain that the Black Sea event will be grabbed by some as
the Flood they have been wanting. But here is why I could no longer go with a
flood in that time frame or with this Black Sea flood.

1. The rate of rise is too slow. 1 foot per day while bad, would not wipe out
large groups of people. Most would be able to flee.

2. There is no realistic source of rain. The rise is too slow to cause much
adiabatic cooling and rain cloud formation.

3. Now that I have learned of the human activities engaged in by fossil man,
any concordist apologetic must deal with clothing on men many thousands of
years prior to this event. and the

4. By 7500 years ago, mankind was quite widesppread and so a local Black Sea
Flood would not be anthrolologically universal which I believe is necessary.

5. There would have been no need to put animals on the ark. The species
which lived on the former shores would have also lived 400 feet higher in
elevation and would not have needed saving.

6. There is no way to cover all the high mountains, since there would be none.

glenn

Foundation,Fall and Flood
http://members.gnn.com/GRMorton/dmd.htm