In Genesis, Noah was instructed to coat the Ark with pitch inside and outside.
Genesis 6:14 describes the vessel as being made from gopher wood and tells Noah to cover it with pitch. Pitch is a sticky, water-resistant substance traditionally produced from natural bitumen, tar, or related materials. Its purpose in the story is to seal the vessel against water.
The Hebrew wording is connected with terms for covering or coating, and English translations commonly render the material as “pitch.” Ancient boatbuilders across the Near East used bituminous substances for waterproofing boats, baskets, and building materials, so the image has a practical ancient context.
This detail is separate from the kind of wood named in Genesis. The wood forms the vessel’s structure, while pitch is the waterproofing coating. Both details appear in the same construction instruction.