According to Genesis, pitch was used to waterproof Noah’s Ark.
Genesis 6:14 tells Noah to coat the ark with pitch inside and outside. Pitch is a dark, sticky waterproofing material traditionally associated with tar, bitumen, or resinous substances. The passage’s purpose is clear even though the exact ancient substance cannot be identified with certainty from the English word alone.
This instruction appears immediately after the command to use gopher wood. Together, the two details describe the ark’s basic construction: a wooden vessel sealed against water. The text does not say that metal fasteners, sails, oars, or a rudder were used, and it does not provide a complete construction manual.
Readers sometimes associate pitch with modern petroleum tar, but ancient waterproofing materials varied by region and period. The Hebrew wording is translated differently across Bible versions, including terms such as pitch, bitumen, or resin. Regardless of translation choice, the stated function is waterproofing the ark’s interior and exterior.