Ark

Ark, also the ark or the Noah's ark, was the large ship built by Noah to save his family and two of every kind of animal from the Flood that is mentioned in the Bible. Later, ark came to be in use for any vessel or sanctuary that serves as protection against extinction. A large and flat-bottomed boat is also called ark.

Ark also meant a chest or box, but now such a use is termed archaic. However, ark as shorter form of Ark of the Covenant is in use. The Holy Ark is a chest or cupboard in which the Torah scrolls in a synagogue are kept.

In Indian mythology, ark is an epithet of Surya, the sun god, a name of Vishnu the god who maintains the universe, and a name of Indra the god of gods.

In the Ramayan, Ark was a monkey-chief. When Ram's army was marching towards Lanka, he was given the responsibility of protecting the flanks of the army.

The word ark is also used for ark shell in short, a bivalve mollusk of the order Arcoidea, Arca, and other genera. This widely distributed mollusk typically attaches itself to rocks with byssus threads.