The Quest for the Ark -Who Had it Last and Where Did it Go?

Archaeological quests haven’t been popularly exciting since Indiana Jones went off the screen. Maybe that’s because most archaeological escapades involve a lot of digging in one spot, rather than jumping all across the countryside, being chased by huge perfectly spherical boulders, and shooting at Nazis. This latest story is no less exciting for the fact that Indiana is missing.

The Ark of the Covenant – the sacred container out of Biblical history that contained the Ten Commandments, written by God for the people of Israel – has long been an item of archaeological interest. When did it disappear, who had it last and where did it go?

Now, German researchers from the University of Hamburg have found the remains of the palace of the Queen of Sheba. In particular, they have found what they believe to be an altar that may once have held the Ark.

The last recorded location of the Ark is in 2 Chronicles, chapter 35, verse 3, of the Old Testament, where King Josiah had placed the Ark in to the Temple. However soon after (chronologically), the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the ark passed in to legend.

Many theories exist, including the deliberate burial of the Ark under the Temple Mount, but the one that is relevant to the German expedition is the theory that together, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheeba had a child together, Menelek I, and that he removed the Ark.

Professor Helmut Ziegert, of the archaeological institute at the University of Hamburg, has been supervising a dig in Aksum, northern Ethiopia, since 1999. “From the dating, its position and the details that we have found, I am sure that this is the palace [of the Queen of Sheeba],” he said.

After the death of the Queen of Sheeba, Menelek replaced the palace with a temple worshiping Sirius (or Sothis, the Greek for the star Sirius). The German researchers believe that the Ark was built in to the altar. “The results we have suggest that a Cult of Sothis developed in Ethiopia with the arrival of Judaism and the Ark of the Covenant, and continued until 600AD,” an announcement by the University of Hamburg on behalf of the research team said.

This recent announcement has once again however spread discontent throughout the world of archaeology. For a long time the discussion has raged as to whether archaeology should be involved in myth-chasing. Because, regardless of whether the Ark is “found”, there is no way that it can be identified as the original that carried the Ten Commandments.



http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3919430.ece

Now, German researchers from the University of Hamburg have found the remains of the palace of the Queen of Sheba. In particular, they have found what they believe to be an altar that may once have held the Ark.

The last recorded location of the Ark is in 2 Chronicles, chapter 35, verse 3, of the Old Testament, where King Josiah had placed the Ark in to the Temple. However soon after (chronologically), the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the ark passed in to legend.

Many theories exist, including the deliberate burial of the Ark under the Temple Mount, but the one that is relevant to the German expedition is the theory that together, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheeba had a child together, Menelek I, and that he removed the Ark.

Professor Helmut Ziegert, of the archaeological institute at the University of Hamburg, has been supervising a dig in Aksum, northern Ethiopia, since 1999. “From the dating, its position and the details that we have found, I am sure that this is the palace [of the Queen of Sheeba],” he said.

After the death of the Queen of Sheeba, Menelek replaced the palace with a temple worshiping Sirius (or Sothis, the Greek for the star Sirius). The German researchers believe that the Ark was built in to the altar. “The results we have suggest that a Cult of Sothis developed in Ethiopia with the arrival of Judaism and the Ark of the Covenant, and continued until 600AD,” an announcement by the University of Hamburg on behalf of the research team said.

This recent announcement has once again however spread discontent throughout the world of archaeology. For a long time the discussion has raged as to whether archaeology should be involved in myth-chasing. Because, regardless of whether the Ark is “found”, there is no way that it can be identified as the original that carried the Ten Commandments.

Posted by Josh Hill. Iamge copyright Cactus Game Design, 2005.

Source link:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3919430.ece

Comments

[A. Magnus]

Where is the evidence for a cult of sothis in Judaism? One person saying it does not make it so. Some pictures of Hebrew Sothis worship in the form of writings or carvings would be a good place to start.

[Wayne]

According to this guy,it didn`t go very far,and has been found.

http://www.lexiline.com/lexiline/lexi000.htm

[Ras Sankofa]

I say This to you all.If the ark was meant to be found you would have found it by know,Man chasing things constantly.well at least they got some of the history right king Soloman And Queen Sheba did have a son called menalik 1 .and yes he did move the Ark.Those who know wont tell you were it is,,its to be left alone as god commanded.check the history of the bible and what it says about the ark.look at the picture on this site ,there clearly the 12 tribes look at the colour of there cloths and you will see its in comparasen to the month they was born in.Shalom