Noah's tomb - or as our man has it 'the tomb of the honored old navigator' is on the outskirts of a new town called Karaq.
Ian Strathcarron, in War and Innocence, reports visiting the building Twain writes of as Noah's Tomb. He notes that it is not and never has been a tomb. At the time of his visit, the structure had been converted into a Hezbollah madrassah "where children kneel and learn the Koran by rote". "According to tradition mentioned by al-Mukaddasi, the tomb of Noah existed in the tenth century and can still be seen. The stone tomb measures around 104.8 feet (31.9 m) long, 8.7 feet (2.7 m) wide and 3.2 feet (0.98 m) high and is covered in a raggedy green cloth. It is houses in a room measuring 10.1 feet (3.1 m) by 8.1 feet (2.5 m). There is a chapel next to the cenotaph building where several inscriptions (decrees) dating to the fourteenth century were found. There is also a courtyard outside the building with a prayer niche. The size of the monument possibly derives from tales of ancient giants, but is more realistically suggested to be a section of an ancient aqueduct that has been converted to serve as a shrine."
According to tradition mentioned by al-Mukaddasi and Al-Dimashqi, the tomb of Noah existed in the tenth century and can still be seen. The stone tomb measures around 104.8 feet (31.9 m) long, 8.7 feet (2.7 m) wide and 3.2 feet (0.98 m) high and is covered in a worn green cloth. It is housed in a room measuring 10.1 feet (3.1 m) by 8.1 feet (2.5 m). There is a chapel next to the cenotaph building where several inscriptions (decrees) dating to the fourteenth century were found. There is also a courtyard outside the building with a prayer niche. The size of the monument possibly derives from tales of ancient giants, but is more realistically suggested to be a section of an ancient aqueduct that has been converted to serve as a shrine.
Noah’s tomb is built of stone, and is covered with a long stone building. Bucksheesh let us in. The building had to be long, because the grave of the honored old navigator is two hundred and ten feet long itself! It is only about four feet high, though. He must have cast a shadow like a lightning-rod. The proof that this is the genuine spot where Noah was buried can only be doubted by uncommonly incredulous people. The evidence is pretty straight. Shem, the son of Noah, was present at the burial, and showed the place to his descendants, who transmitted the knowledge to their descendants, and the lineal descendants of these introduced themselves to us to-day. It was pleasant to make the acquaintance of members of so respectable a family. It was a thing to be proud of. It was the next thing to being acquainted with Noah himself. Noah’s memorable voyage will always possess a living interest for me, henceforward.
About 1 h. farther we pass through Kerak Nûh, famous as containing the tomb of Noah, whence its name. This tomb is a wonder in its way, far surpassing even those of Abel and Seth. It measures about 70 yds. in length! It is probably an old aqueduct. In 5 min. more we enter the large village of Mu‘allakah,... Murray Route 38