-Is the Real ‘Ark of the Covenant’ in Ethiopia?

Q: Is the real ancient Ark (as in Raiders of the Lost Ark) in Ethiopia? I Read some news report years ago that said so.

A:  No, but maybe? or Yes, they have an Ark but is it the original?

The Orthodox Church of Ethiopia has claimed for years that they actually have the original Ark of the Covenant spoken of in the Bible. One of the problems with the claim is that they have never allowed archeologists to inspect or test the artifact which most scholars believe is a mere copy at best. Here’s a picture of where it is housed:

(Shrine where the Ethiopian Ark is housed)

Here’s a quote from the church Patriarch:

“All that which is found in the Ark is described perfectly in the Bible. The state of conservation is good because it is not made from the hand of man, but it is something that God has blessed. There are many writings and evidences of the presence of the Ark in Ethiopia. There is no reason why someone [would] dare to affirm to have something that he doesn’t have.

I am not here to give proofs that the Ark is in Ethiopia, but I am here to say what I saw, what I know and I can attest to. I didn’t say that the Ark would be revealed to the world. It is a mystery, an object of veneration.”

For more on the ark, view: Dr. Ben Withering ton’s take on the Ethiopian Ark>>