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Which type of wood was used to build Noah's ark?

According to the Bible, Noah's ark was made of gopher wood. This has been identified as Cupressus sempervirens, one of the most durable woods in the world. Also called the Mediterranean cypress, the tree is native throughout southern Europe and western Asia. It grows up to 80 feet (24 meters) tall.

Similar to this tree is the Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa), which is restricted to a very small area along the coast of central California. The Monterey cypress can grow as tall as 90 feet (27 meters), with horizontal branches that support a broad, spreading crown.

Sources: Everett, Thomas H. LivingTrees of the World, p. 35; Platt, Rutherford. 1001 Questions Answered About Trees, p. 31.

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