Did The Ark Of The Covenant Really Exist?

May 2024 ยท 2 minute read

The Ark of the Covenant "goes missing" from the record after the Babylonian Empire supposedly burns down the temple in 586 B.C. There are theories about what happened to the Ark itself. Some say it was destroyed in the fire, while others say it survived the fire and is hidden in subterranean passages located under the Dome of the Rock Islamic shrine, which cannot be excavated (via National Geographic). 

The third theory is that the Ark ended up in Ethiopia in the 10th century B.C. and is being held inside the St. Mary of Zion cathedral in the tiny town of Aksum. According to reports via Smithsonian Magazine, nobody is allowed to enter the small room where the Ark is kept, and the monks who guard it aren't allowed to ever leave the chapel. 

The Ethiopian church has plenty of explanations for its alleged connection to the Ark, including how one of its royals, Queen of Sheba, traveled to Jerusalem, where she had a child with King Solomon. Another story says Mary and Jesus spent time in Ethiopia during their exile from Israel. There are no records of any of these claims โ€” including the legendary Ark making it into Africa โ€” and all attempts to see the mysterious artifact have been turned down (per Smithsonian Magazine).

If you ever watched "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Arkaiders of the Lost Ark," you'll know the Ark is believed to possess great supernatural powers โ€” but you might not know the movie was inspired by a real expedition to find it.

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