In the biblical account of Noah's Ark, the vessel was built from gopher wood. Genesis 6:14 instructs Noah to make the ark from “gopher wood,” a term whose exact meaning is uncertain.
The Hebrew word appears only in this passage, so scholars cannot identify the tree species with confidence. Various translations and interpretations have proposed cypress, cedar, resinous wood, or a general type of timber, but “gopher wood” remains the traditional English rendering.
The same verse says that Noah was to make rooms in the ark and cover it inside and outside with pitch. Pitch would have helped waterproof the structure, while the internal divisions would have provided spaces for people, animals, and supplies.
This wording creates an important distinction between the biblical text and later claims. The passage names the material with a rare term; it does not provide a botanical identification or evidence that a surviving wooden vessel has been found.