In the Noah’s Ark story, pitch was used to make the ark watertight.
Genesis 6:14 instructs Noah to cover the ark inside and outside with pitch. Pitch is a sticky, waterproofing substance historically made from natural bitumen, tar, or related materials. Applying it to wooden surfaces would help seal seams and reduce water penetration.
The same detail connects the Genesis account with ancient boatbuilding practices in the Near East. Bitumen was naturally available in parts of Mesopotamia and was used to waterproof boats, baskets, and buildings. In the biblical narrative, the pitch is practical construction material rather than the vessel’s main structural substance.
Genesis says the ark itself was made from gopher wood, but the meaning of “gopher wood” is uncertain. Pitch, by contrast, is identified by its waterproofing function. Modern translations vary in wording, sometimes using “bitumen” or “tar,” but the answer commonly rendered in English is pitch.