Ships of the Later Scriptures
Ships from texts held sacred by later communities: the sea tales of the Babylonian Talmud, the ship and barges of the Book of Mormon, and two arks in the writings of Bahá’u’lláh.
This chapter of Sacred Ships holds 6 ships. For each one we give the source, what happens, and only what the text itself says about the vessel. See all 102 ships on one page.
Subject to interpretation, Marea can build any of these ships as a scale model, with the maximum detail the scale permits. We build her as the text describes her: the timber, the oars, the sails. Seventeen of these texts even give her size or her crew.
This database was put together by Ai Refloat™, Marea’s own artificial intelligence, from published translations of the texts and from museum and university sources. Ai Refloat is still young & like any teenager, it can be a little volatile and unpredictable at times, but above all, it is learning fast. So this list may well contain mistakes and we welcome the input of everyone who knows these texts and traditions better than we do.
Have you spotted a mistake? Tell us which ship and which text, and we will amend it accordingly. Tell us here
The ships
Ships of the Later Scriptures · Talmud
The Sea Tales of Rabbah bar bar Hana Voyaging ship
Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 73a to 74b (Rabbah bar bar Hana's own tales at 73b)
Tradition Talmud
On 73a Rabba relays seafarers' accounts of a wave that sinks ships and waves that lift a vessel toward the stars. On 73b Rabbah bar bar Hana tells how travellers cooked on a fish they took for an island until it turned over and their ship rescued them, and how a ship sailed three days between two fins of one fish. On 74a and 74b other sages add tales, among them a crate of jewels guarded by sharks.
The vessel Ordinary seagoing ships, not described. The tales are about what the crews meet. No quote: the English translations are still in copyright.
Sources Sefaria 73a · 73b · 74a · 74b
Illustration: an AI interpretation of the text, to come.
Ships of the Later Scriptures · Book of Mormon
Nephi's Ship Voyaging ship
1 Nephi 17:5 to 18:23
Tradition Book of Mormon
In the land of Bountiful, Nephi is commanded to build a ship and smelts ore for tools despite his brothers' mockery. When his brothers bind him at sea, the compass stops working and a tempest rises; once he is released he steers the ship to the promised land.
The vessel “Timbers of curious workmanship” (18:1), built not “after the manner of men” (18:2), its workmanship “exceedingly fine” (18:4), steered with a compass prepared of the Lord.
Sources 1 Nephi 17 · 1 Nephi 18
Illustration: an AI interpretation of the text, to come.
Ships of the Later Scriptures · Book of Mormon
The Jaredite Barges Fleet
Ether 2:16 to 25; 3:1 to 6; 6:2 to 12
Tradition Book of Mormon
The brother of Jared builds eight barges and asks how they will have light. The Lord touches sixteen clear stones, one set in each end of each vessel. Driven by a furious wind and often buried under the waves, the barges reach the promised land after 344 days.
The vessel Small, “light upon the water” like a fowl, “tight like unto a dish”, peaked at the ends, “the length of a tree” (2:17), with a hole top and bottom for air and no windows or fire.
Sources Ether 2 · Ether 3 · Ether 6
Illustration: an AI interpretation of the text, to come.
Ships of the Later Scriptures · Book of Mormon
Hagoth's Ship Voyaging ship
Alma 63:5 to 8
Tradition Book of Mormon
Hagoth, “an exceedingly curious man”, builds a very large ship and launches it into the west sea, and many Nephites sail northward in it. He builds more ships. Those aboard are never heard of again.
The vessel “An exceedingly large ship” (63:5). No other detail.
Sources Alma 63
Illustration: an AI interpretation of the text, to come.
Ships of the Later Scriptures · Bahá'í
The Crimson Ark Symbolic ship
Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Aqdas, paragraph 84, note 115
Tradition Bahá'í
Paragraph 84 praises the king who will arise to aid Bahá'u'lláh's Cause and numbers him among the companions of the Crimson Ark, the Ark God has prepared for the people of Bahá.
The vessel Symbolic, not a physical ship: note 115 explains that the Crimson Ark refers to the Cause of Bahá'u'lláh. No quote: the translation is still in copyright.
Sources Kitáb-i-Aqdas · Notes
Illustration: an AI interpretation of the text, to come.
Ships of the Later Scriptures · Bahá'í
The Tablet of the Holy Mariner Symbolic ship
Bahá'u'lláh, Lawh-i-Malláhu'l-Quds, Baghdad, Naw-Rúz 1863
Tradition Bahá'í
Revealed in Bahá'u'lláh's tent outside Baghdad and chanted to the believers gathered outside, the tablet bids a divine Mariner launch the ark of eternity upon the ancient sea. 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote that it foretold future events.
The vessel A spiritual ark of eternity, with no physical description.
Sources Bahá'í Prayers · Bahaipedia
Illustration: an AI interpretation of the text, to come.
Explore Sacred Ships by chapter
- The Flood Ships9 ships
- Ships of the Bible15 ships
- Ships of the Quran5 ships
- Ships of the Later Scriptures6 ships
- Boats of the Sun, the Moon and the Dead13 ships
- Greek and Roman Heroes at Sea13 ships
- Celtic Voyages and the Round Table9 ships
- The Northern Seas8 ships
- India, China and Japan13 ships
- The Pacific and the Americas11 ships