In Genesis, Noah’s Ark was covered with pitch.
Genesis 6:14 instructs Noah to make the Ark from gopher wood and cover it inside and outside with pitch. Pitch is a waterproofing substance, commonly associated with bitumen or tar-like material, that could seal gaps in wooden construction.
The instruction matters because the Ark is presented as a vessel designed to withstand floodwater rather than as a ship intended for navigation. The biblical text does not describe sails, oars, a rudder, or a destination chosen by human navigation. Its stated purpose was preservation during the Flood.
Readers sometimes confuse pitch with the wood named in the same verse. They are different: gopher wood is the construction material, while pitch is the waterproof coating. The exact identity of “gopher wood” remains uncertain in biblical scholarship.