INDIANA JONES, “THE AUTHENTIC SEARCH FOR THE LOST ARK”

Graham Hancock: The Ethiopian hypothesis. The recent best seller by Graham Hancock, “ The Sign and the Seal”, about the strange powers and possible emplacement of the Ark of the Covenant, has renewed interest in the relic, which was apparently lost around the year 650 BC.

According to the Bible, the Ark was taken to Jerusalem and placed in the Holy of Holies" in Solomon's Temple. Hancock based his work on legend from the time of Solomon, which stated that the queen of Sheba, visited Israel. The Royal Chronicles of Ethiopia say that, on returning to her country, she was carrying Solomon's child, Menelik I. After some years, he went to live with his father in Israel, where he was educated until he reached the age of 19. He was converted to the Jewish faith. Solomon had a copy of the Ark made for Menelik, to take back to Ethiopia so that the Jews could have a copy of the relic. Legend says that Menelik was worried about the real Ark's security, so he changed the copy for the original, taking the latter with him to Ethiopia.

After exhausting investigations, Hancock declared that he had found the original Ark, in the church of Saint Mary of Sion in Asum, guarded by one almost blind guardian, who did not let him see it or ask questions about it.

Randall Price: Is the Ark still in Israel? In this article, the search for the Ark of the Covenant continues. Published in the spring of 1993, in the Messianic Times, that author Randall Price, the echoes of ancient Rabbinate archives, where it is explained that the Ark, was taken out of the Second Temple and hidden in a wood store under the temple. In the old Hebrew text the Shekalim 6:1-2 , it tells how it was in a wood store. He realized that some of the floor stones were different to the rest.

As he went to tell this to another priest (as it is written ), he fell down dead. The defenders of this hypothesis argue, that this confirms that the real Ark, was in the Second Temple. What is certain, is that the temple was destroyed in the year 70 and the Jews were dispersed, throughout the world. This left the area of Mount Moria and the Ark, in foreign hands. According to this theory, the treasure would have been buried for more than 2000 years. Price declares, that a tunnel is believed to exist, that leads to a chamber that is situated some 48 feet under the surface and is supposed to house the Ark.

At the end of the seventies and beginning of the eighties, excavations were carried out by the side of the Wailing Wall. Some Rabbis say that is where the Ark is. Rabbi Shiomo Goren and Yehuda Getz, stated that they know the exact situation and are waiting for the best moment to reveal it. They also say, that they have not themselves seen the relic. It is not possible to confirm this hypothesis because the Israeli Government has sealed the 'Warren Gate'. This is the area that leads to the supposed location of the Ark and has caused a great conflict between the Arab and Jewish communities. However, in a an Australian TV program, Rabbi Getz indicated his previous statement and said that he had seen the exact place where the Ark is. A TV viewer named Mr. Green, wrote to the Rabbi and asked him to confirm declarations. This is the reply that he received from the Rabbi Getz.

“In reply to your letter of 20th.. April, 5753 ( The Hebrew calendar date for 1993), about the Ark of the Covenant. I can confirm that I do know the exact location of the Ark. As you must understand, this is a very delicate affair and we are not prepared to spread this information to just anybody. Yours sincerely, Rabbi Getz”. This was a hand-written letter, with the Rabbis seal and signed by the Rabbi.

Ron Wyatt: "I saw it in Jerusalem". The American archaeologist Ron Wyatt,says that has seen the Ark in Jerusalem.. He says that in 1978, he was invited by the owner of a private farm, near the old city. Once there, and without knowing why, he started to point out a place, which he said "There is the Grotto of Jeremiah and the Ark of the Covenant is there". The owners offered to sponsor an excavation. Wyatt concluded that the Ark disappeared during the Babylonian time (586 BC). The city was surrounded by fortresses and walls, which would of made it difficult to remove the Ark. It was highly probable, that the Ark was still under one of those walls. Having obtained the necessary permits, he began his excavations.

On the 6th. of January 1982, at 14.00 hours, he found the chamber that contained the Ark of the Covenant and other items pertaining to the First Temple. It was under the hill of Golgatha. just where Christ was crucified. So the cross had been placed exactly over the rock that was the roof of the chamber At the moment of the death of Christ, the rock was split open and when the centurion, speared Christ's side, his blood spilled onto the propitiatory of the Ark, as it should do, in order to expiate the sins of mankind.

Vendyl Jones and the temple of Solomon. In 1994, Dr. Vendyl Jones, an archaeologist from Texas, who inspired Steven Spielberg to create Indiana Jones, told Reuters that he knew the Arks exact situation, thanks to some photographs that were taken by the NASA satellite over Israel. The images showed the remains of a wall measuring 450 x 270 meters. After three months of excavations, Jones and his colleagues came to the conclusion that the area was a small scale reproduction of Solomon´s Temple. This mini temple, is to be found in the Biblical city of Gilgal, which is described in the Old Testament and served as a base that Joshua used to attack the neighboring Jericho. Jones declared that the exterior wall was 50 meters in height and 11 meters wide. This served as the ritual wall of the Tabernacle and the altar where the Ark was supposed to be. The discovery found, was the ritual wall of the Tabernacle, the altar, where the Ark is supposed to be. The discovery by Jones was not very well received by the scientific circles in Israel . It was declared as, “ Doubtful, sensational and false “, by I. Miguen, the archaeologist of the military Administration of the CisJordan. What then did Jones find?

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT, ONE OF THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER TREASURES IN THE STORY OF MANKIND, COULD BE BURIED UNDER THE DESERT SANDS, IN A HIDDEN PLACE IN THE SINAI PENINSULA THAT AT LEAST IS WHAT GERRY CANNON SAYS! CLAIMING THAT HE HAS RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION THROUGH A CHANNELED MESSAGE FROM A GUIDE NAMED "MOSEC", WHO HAS TOLD HIM THAT HE IS A TORMENTED SPIRIT, FULL OF GUILT BECAUSE HE TOOK PART IN THE ROBBERY OF THE SACRED ARK. OF COURSE A STORY LIKE THIS, WOULD NOT BE OF ANY GREAT INTEREST, UNLESS, ONE BY ONE, "MOSEC'S" CLUES, HAD NOT PROVED TO BE RIGHT THROUGH A WHOLE SERIES OF EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS. HERE THEN IS THE STORY...

During the stay on Mount Sinai Moses instructions for the construction of a box in which to keep the Tablets of the law (the Ten Commandments) written on the slabs of stone by Jehovah (GOD) . The Bible says that the Ark of the Covenant , was made from acacia wood and it measured 112..5 CMS. in length 67.5. OEMs. in width and 57.5 cms in height. It was completely covered inside and outside with gold. According to the sacred texts the Ark also held the rod of Moses brother Aaron and a container with manna. two cherubs of beaten gold were placed at each end of the lid . Their faces were turned towards each other, their wings outstretched and their eyes turned towards the Proprietary, the place destined for Jehova. The Ark was placed in the Tabernacle a kind of mobile temple, that was carried by the Israelites on their wanderings towards the Promised Land. Only the High Priest could enter this enclosure once a year, on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). According to the bible, the children of Israel, carried the Ark to Jerusalem and then placed it in the "Holy of Holies" in the Temple of Solomon. After this, according to the Sacred Scriptures , what happened to the Ark one of the most sought after objects in history is still a mystery. Archaeologists, scientists and scholars in general, have read ancient Hebrew texts, scrutinized forgotten legends and carried out numerous excavations. All without success. Therefore, it does not seem a too far fetched idea to begin to explore other unusual clues which do at least, merit some attention. That is precisely what the protagonist of our story decided to do...

He is an Englishman, living on the Costa del Sol and is looking for the Ark of the Covenant, due to a psychic experience. This has lead him along unexpected pathways which in the beginning made no sense but little by little began to come together, until they became part of a very articulated well documented story which if nothing else, is in keeping with the other legends that surrounded this priceless, “object of desire ”.