Noah's Birds
Acrylic, gold leaf on birch panel
Framed 20 x 16"
Private collection.
In the Biblical Flood story, which echoes other traditions around the Near East, Noah wondered how much longer he’d have to stay in the ark. So he released two birds: a raven and a dove. The raven flew off and circled until “the waters were dried from the land.” Raven did not return. Dove, on the other hand, returned several times, finally with an olive branch in its beak, signaling that the land was dry enough for Noah’s entourage to disembark.
Compare this ancient story to a Viking tradition: Seafarers commonly took along caged ravens, which were released to help find land. If the raven saw only ocean, it circled back to the ship. If it did not return, the Vikings would sail after it, assuming it had spotted land.