The Ark of the Covenant

The Lost Ark is one of Africa's most intriguing mysteries- described in The Bible as a magnificent wooden chest plated inside and out with pure gold.  It contained (and still does-?) the legendary stone tablets that Moses brought down from Mt Sinai, with the ten commandments inscribed on them.  In fact the Ark itself was constructed by Moses from Acacia at Mt Sinai.  For an object we know little about, we have a fairly definite date of its construction (c.1250 BC) and its dimensions (3' 9''x 2' 3''x 2'3'') with a solid gold lid and a pair of angels, believed to be facing each other with wings touching.  Golden rings were attached to the sides, through which long poles went, to be easily carried by a team of four Israelites.  As proof of it being the symbol of God on Earth, It proved a defining role in many battles, emitting a deadly energy to smite its foes.  I emphasise 'it's foes and not it's carriers, as there was a period when it was captured by the Philistines, causing an immediate plague followed by a cancer epidemic (the symptoms of which are very similar to radiation sickness) throughout their community.  From this they realised their mistake and so returned it on a cow drawn cart to the Israelite border.  20 years later, it was given a supposedly final resting place by King David who sent it to Jerusalem, then by King Solomon who built a temple on the top of Mt Moriah especially for it, into which it was placed in the room known as the 'Holy of Holies'.  Recent archaeological evidence has revealed that it is very likely that this temple did exist- a stone tablet was discovered containing details of its construction.  There are three theories about what happened after this- the first is that it was stolen by Menelik, son of Solomon and the queen of Sheba, and then taken to Northern Ethiopia.  The second theory suggests that it was removed by the prophet Jeremiah before the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians, and then taken to a cave in the nearby area, and the third suggests that it was destroyed at this time.  This latter theory is probably not true, as can an artefact of God be removed from it's existance by mortal hands?  Equally unlikely is the second theory, as surely it would be discovered?.  The first is possibly true, as a small town in Ethiopia still claims to protect it, but the only person to have actually seen it is it's single guard, who was chosen by its previous guard and so on.  World-renowned researcher Graham Hancock has chased up this theory and has tried to see a nearby replica, only to be chased off by religious enthusiasts, so he will not try to look at the real thing- who knows what will happen!.  Another clue has been unearthed, however, by a man called Vendyl Jones (no relation to Indiana!).  Jones is the director of the 'Institute for Judaic Christian Research' in Texas.  In March 1992 Jones led an archaeological expedition to the Qumran Caves, in which were discovered the dead sea scrolls removed in 1947.  5 years later, the Copper Scroll was found, which allegedly lists all the major sacred artefacts from the second Temple in Jerusalem, destroyed by the Romans in AD70.  One relic on the list is the famous lost ark.  It is unknown how it came to be in the second temple, but Jones was determined that this was the closest clue yet to it's discovery, encouraged by his discovery of a jug described on this list.  In May 1992, he was getting even closer to his goal after exposing some temple incense from a cave.  Their success was short-lived, though, as the Israeli Antiques Authority decided to halt the excavations and their research permit.  It remains unknown why this is (do the Israeli's know more than they say?) but it has resulted in Jones' nickname of 'Indiana'.  There have been just as many explanations for it's identity as it's whereabouts- people hav suggested a form of electrical battery, a miniature nuclear reactor, and an advanced food manufacturer that provided the manna for the Israelites voyage. But what would happen if we did find the lost ark?  Would we be able to control it's power?  Would God favour our leaders enough to grant us this power?

The man who made the Ark famous...

...and his realworld counterpart Vendyl.

The Jordan Crossing

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