Istanbul, Turkey -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/02/2021 --Harvard University educated archaeologist, former maritime executive, Chairperson and Senior Lecturer of the Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Department at the National University of Samoa, and current president of the applied archaeology firm, PRC, Inc., Joel Klenck, reports that Tom Brady Senior, the father of the future Hall of Fame quarterback, provided the motivation for the rediscovery of Noah's Ark in the southern gorge of greater Mount Ararat.

Klenck is certain: "The rediscovery of Noah's Ark is a fact and the greatest archaeological site in history. The Ark is nearly 150 meters in length, broken in two sections, at elevations between 3,900 to 4,700 meters above sea level, with an origin dating to the Late Epipaleolithic Period (13,100-9,600 BC) and earlier. The structure is 100% a maritime barge and exhibits angled hulls, thousands of cages, large sloping ramps, three decks, and large cargo holds covered with legumes. The Ark's wood architecture was preserved in ice. Most of the organic artifacts were cryodesiccated causing their excellent preservation for millennia. The structure matches all traits described in the Bible, Quran, and by Berossus, Josephus, and in Alexandrian traditions."

Armenians hid Noah's Ark since 247 BC. The archaeologist met with the heirs of Armenian guides that led foreigners to Noah's Ark in the early twentieth century and descendants of Armenian interrogators that worked for the Soviet state during the 1930s. The archaeologist researched the artifacts and features from the Ark for ten years sending reports to historic preservation authorities. The descendants and archaeological data provide insight to the impact of Noah's Ark on modern Anatolian history and part of the Armenian diaspora.

The archaeologist notes: "At the turn of the twentieth century, the Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church and Armenian guides at the base of Mount Ararat refined tactics to conceal Noah's Ark while raising funds from visits to the vessel, by foreigners from Tsarist Russia and the United States, to fund independence initiatives against Ottoman Turkey. As this revolution failed, Catholicos Mkrtich Khrimian (1820-1907) issued four orders regarding Noah's Ark, which concealed the vessel until recently, causing a range of emotions."

Klenck remarks, "In 2006, I was a maritime executive but wanted to start an applied archaeology business. We merged operations with an excellent ship-assist company named BayDelta and celebrated at a corporate golf tournament. Here, BayDelta's sales executive introduced me to Tom Brady Senior. During lunch the elder Brady told me he was going into church ministry, then met his wife, got married, and had a wonderful family. He asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I replied I wanted to start an archaeology firm. He then asked me why I was in the maritime business. It was a good question.

The conversation then turned to life's disappointments. Tom Brady Sr. told me how terrible his family felt when his son was drafted in a low round after scouts ignored his abilities. The experience was painful for their family. As the lunch ended, I will never forget the last thing Mr. Brady said to me: "One day you will make a big decision—I feel you will make the right one."

Starting an applied archaeology business was the toughest thing I ever did. In 2010, a Chinese religious organization and Turkish officials announced they rediscovered Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey. After their announcement, various individuals denounced the discovery as a hoax. The CEO of our historic preservation firm asked me to look at the evidence, determine if the discovery was legitimate, and if so, offer our services to the discoverers."

The archaeologist notes, "I spent the night looking at the photographs and videos of the discovery. I was just about to turn off my computer, when ESPN mentioned a statistic about Tom Brady. This comment reminded me of my conversation with Tom Brady Sr. I took another look at the data. I did not want to discount an iconic archaeological site, similar to the teams that dismissed Tom Brady, based on false critiques.

This time, something caught my eye. One photograph from the press announcement was what the discovers' called "white pellets." These pellets were chickpea seeds but were smaller than modern domesticated chickpeas or garbanzo beans. Chickpeas were a principal part of the Neolithic diet, beginning in the tenth millennium BC, with other legumes such as bitter vetch. For the discoverers to call the undomesticated chickpea seeds 'white pellets' indicated they did not know the archaeological significance of these specimens.

Since this initial analysis, much archaeological work has been completed on Noah's Ark including the documentation of its features, artifact analyses, and ethnographic interviews. Now, the Republic of Turkey and Turkish archaeologists have begun the curation of artifacts from Noah's Ark and its protection and preservation. This year, Noah's Ark will be revealed to the general public."

Klenck concludes, "Noah's Ark represents the Super Bowl of Archaeology. It is wonderful that a former seminary student, Tom Brady Sr., with kind words and encouragement provided the motivation for the protection, conservation, and research of the greatest archaeological site in history. Noah's Ark will fundamentally alter views on prehistory, discount most secular theories, and facilitate a greater understanding of ancient religious accounts."