The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most famous and sought after relics of the ancient world. Legend has it that this
16 kg wooden box carried the tablets of the Ten Commandments, and it’s been a source of fascination for people for centuries.
It was first mentioned in the Old Testament in the Book of Exodus, when Moses brought it down from Mount Sinai and gave it to the children of Israel:
“Then Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Chosen are the vessels of the LORD’s wrath, who will be used for his wrath. You and your people must stop worshiping them because they are destined for destruction. Now bring out the tablets of the covenant that was between me and you and your people, and you must put them in the fire.'”
People have tried and tested ways to find this infamous piece of antiquity ever since. One of the most famous quests was undertaken by an Englishman by the name of Alfred Hitchcock. In 1938, Hitchcock and his team of crack cryptographers spent two years trying to solve the riddle of the Ark’s location, and at one point even managed to crack the code using a frequency analyser. Unfortunately, in 1940 the Germans invaded England and invaded the whole of Europe, preventing Hitchcock and his team from completing their research. But the search for the Ark continues, and today cryptographers and amateur archeologists from all over the world come together as the International Commission on the Lost Ark of the Covenant (ICOLA) to try and discover its whereabouts. While the location of the Ark itself may still be a mystery, the methods used by the team to track it down are things that can be applied by modern-day hunters.
Why Is the Ark of the Covenant Important?
The Ark of the Covenant is significant for a number of reasons. One of the first and most important reasons is that it is the central focus of the Book of Exodus. The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for a long time, and escaped through the grace of God and the power of prayer. Upon their return to Canaan – the Promised Land – they celebrated by bringing down the Ark and dancing around it in gratitude. The story of the Israelites is recounted in the Bible, and the Ark is a symbol of their resilience in the face of adversity:
“…and they brought down the gold lampstand with the tabernacle and its equipment; and they set it up before the Ark. Then they carried the Ark towards the site of the temple that had been prepared for it. The priests, with the Levites, all lifted up their voices and praised Yahweh, saying, ‘For he is good, for he is powerful, for he is the God who heals Israel'” (1 Kings 8:16-17).
The Second World War saw the Allies attempt to gain complete control of the seas. This was made possible by the Allies discovering new places to explore and new islands to conquer. One of these islands was a neutral territory by the name of Malta. In early 1942, the Allies discovered the underwater ruins of a great civilization, and subsequently named it the ‘Atlantis of the South’. In July of that year, a diving team from the Royal Navy ventured into the site and discovered treasure troves of gold, silver and other precious stones. Many of the artefacts from this site are on display at the British Museum in London. One such item is the Mask of Thracian Hades, a fascinating mixture of gold, diamonds, rubies and emeralds. It was made in approximately 300 BC and was used as a protective mask before entering a battle. In the late 1800s, while doing research for a children’s novel, Kipling wrote about a legendary emerald mask:
“Then the King bade the soldiers form a circle, and put out the fire; and in the twinkling of an eye, a dozen more came running with more wood. The King bade them halt, and commanded: ‘Sound general retreat’. As they turned to go, a seraphim of the Lord advanced, and a glorious company of angels followed with a flourish of trumpets.’
“And then I saw the King’s guards turn and run for their lives, like hares before a –”
Kipling’s storyteller narrator pauses here, unable to find the appropriate words to describe the fright that befell the fleeing guards. This is an apt example of how history can be marred by poor writing, though many believe that the ‘Curse of the Red Sea’ is one of the worst. The story of the Curse of the Red Sea is recounted in the Book of Exodus, though some historians believe that its author, Moses, embellished the story with lots of myth and legend. Regardless, the incident saw the Ark escape the clutches of the German invaders and establish itself in Egyptian waters. In time, the presence of the Ark would become a catalyst for the Israelites as they fought to free themselves from slavery. The Ark would be one of the main reasons that Egypt gave up the fight, and why the country recognized the State of Israel in 1948. When asked about the significance of the Ark in modern times, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, simply replied, “From one end of the country to the other, our presence is underscored by the fact that we are constantly being reminded of the Exodus. As Jews, we cannot not think about the Exodus anymore.”
More About the Ark of the Covenant
The story of the Ark of the Covenant is one of the most fascinating stories in all of history. Since its discovery in the mid-19th century, there have been countless claims and counter-claims regarding its whereabouts. Many people believe that it was stolen from the Israelites by Jeroboam I, who established the Kingdom of Judah in the 10th century BC. Others argue that it was hidden in a secret chamber inside the Great Pyramid of Giza, or that it was taken by a UFO in 1947. Despite this, the search for the Ark has endured, chiefly because of its incredible popularity. Today, as in the time of Moses, people around the world continue to search for this 16 kg wooden box. We will explore some of the methods that can be used to find the Ark today, as well as some of its more intriguing historical mysteries.
The Code of Hammurabi
The Code of Hammurabi is named after the Babylonian king, Hammurabi, who reigned from approximately 1750 to 1720 BC. Today, the Code is mostly studied for its legal aspect, as much as its fascinating history. One of the most interesting things about the Code is that it provides guidelines for the conduct of searches for the Ark. In particular, Hammurabi’s Law 96 provides that “If a thief is caught, the soles of his feet shall be burnt”. This law seems all the more relevant today given the prevalence of identity theft and financial fraud. Modern day cryptographers have found that many of the Code’s legal provisions still stand today, and so it is often used as a legal code for comparative studies.
The Art of Lost Letter Finding
The location of the Ark is almost certainly a secret that will never be disclosed. In an age where information is easily accessible online, it would be naïve to think that the location of such a significant historical site would not be discovered by now. But finding the Ark is not as easy as it seems. First, there is the issue of access: access to the site is highly restricted, and getting permission to actually enter the site is not easy. But once you’re in, you’ll have to contend with a range of security measures put in place by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). The IAA wants to maintain the integrity of the site and its incredible historical value, and so has done everything it can to ensure that only authorized personnel can actually find it. In order to protect the Ark of the Covenant and prevent it from being stolen, the IAA has employed a range of security measures, which include metal detectors and X-ray scanners at certain points throughout the site. But these measures are not foolproof, and so constant surveillance is required. The use of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) and security guards is also commonplace at the site, as is the issue of informants: some people who work at the site suspect that members of the public may try to find the location of the Ark by employing illicit means. But the IAA cannot afford to be totally lax, and so it must ensure that its secrets are not revealed to the public.