The Arc of the Covenant was made of Acacia wood which is highly resistant to scratching weather, and rot. It is also gilded with gold inside and out which would further protect it. It is very possible that it could have survived til now. Other similar items found in Egyptian tombs have lasted even longer.

It's nice to see Raiders of the Lost Ark treated with the serious historical significance that it deserves!

Have you tried the British museum? most historical artifacts that go missing around the world end up there

the most believable story I have heard was that the Romans took it, displayed it for a while as victory spoils, and then used its gold to make coins and other items, and the wood most likely was just thrown out. and with a lot of roman gold making it all the way into today's gold, there is an ever so slim chance that there is a tiny bit of the arc of the covenant in your smartphone right now

"Basically, if you like gold, this was the Ark for you." This^ is what keeps me coming back too Aran's videos.

Let’s get this man to a billion views! His mustache is sentient and a master of the dark arts!

There is at least one other church in Lalibela, Ethiopia that claims to be the custodian of the One True Ark. I’ve seen it paraded through the streets on the local Christmas Day. Or, rather, I was witness to a medium-sized wooden chest, draped in a colourfully embroidered shroud, being paraded through the streets of Lalibela by a small, but very enthusiastic crowd.

8:44 when you mentioned his name was Montagu i immediately thought of the city near Cape town and then when you mentioned the Boer War i thought well surely it can't be a coincidence. This is why i like Thoughty2's content.

I can't think of "Raiders of the lost ark" without thinking of Amy in "The Big bang theory" saying how Indiana Jones was completely irrelevant to the story's outcome cos the Nazis would have still found the ark, and opened it and died. She's right if you think about it. Link : kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ob11abBe187MYok.html

Never knew Artefact was the British version of “Artifact” until today

At the battle of Jericho the Arc being marched around the building for 7 days was a distraction while another crew digged a tunnel under the wall then set fire weakening the ground above but below the wall so on that seventh day when they stopped and blew the horns is when everything gave way and the Wall came crumbling down it was quite a sneaky tactic for the time of Castle siege warfare.

Despite the attraction of this Shaggy Dog story, some things could do with a bit of explanation. When Jericho was discovered, they also discovered what brought down its walls and it wasn't some hocus pocus magic box, except peripherally. While they wandered around the walls of the city blowing flattened ram's horns (shofar) and making all sorts of noises, the object was to keep the eyes of the inhabitants locked on them and not on the sappers who tunnelled beneath the city's walls. After about 3 weeks of digging and the piling up of wood and combustibles, the whole was doused liberally with cooking oil and set afire. The heat broke the stones and mortar of the walls and the Israelites flooded in through the breach and put the inhabitants to the sword. Just thoughty you should hear of it.

That intro is the reason why I still have a monkey brain

I really like your content and miss the bow tie. I just thought I'd chime in regarding the ark being in Harare, Zimbabwe. People here would definately say if they knew it was here. A huge, golden, RELIGIOUS ark in a former British colony would never have been kept a secret. Our numerous miracle prophets would have made billions off of it. I assure you, it's not here... wink wink. King Solomon and Queen of Sheba visited once in a while though.

3:28 if im right there is a part in exodus where they accidentaly drop it and the person who was trying to stop it from falling was killed, burned or something

I absolutely love this guy's videos. His subtle wit and sarcasm is hilarious! This is the best way to learn anything.

LOL its Harare "Ha-Ra-Re" in Zimbabwe Harrah is something an old brittish explorer would have shouted after he discovered something 🤣

"Have we finally found it? No clue, mate!" I can't believe this channel has almost 5 million subs.

Honestly if it was real and was stored properly someone probably found it, sold it, and is now in the hands of a private collector. I believe a lot of missing historical artifacts are in the hands of private collectors.

If the ark existed, its long gone. Most artifacts containing jewels and precious metals are found In "lost" tombs or at the bottom of the sea - where no one can loot it.

The beginning is extremely relatable, happened to me last monday

Artefact is the original British English spelling. He didn't spell it wrong guys

There are 2 different stories in EXODUS about the ARK. The stories are very different. This is a common thread throughout the Books of Moses. Every story has a second version. I’m always amazed how few people know this important fact!

Love to see you and Max Miller do a historical food collaboration

The ark apparently wasn't found and taken by Titus in 71 AD, when he squashed the Jewish revolt, because it's not one of the two main objects (a large menorah and a table, perhaps the one for the shewbread) taken from the temple of Solomon depicted on his triumphal arch in the Roman forum as being shown in his triumphal procession. Did the ark still exist in 71 AD, or did the priests manage to get it away and hide at least it before the troops arrived? It's some real history that adds to the mystery.

This was very comforting to me. When I was a teen I looked heavily into mysteries like this. It's good to know that it's still the same conclusions I had back then. Love your work as always ❤️

4:45 lmao love the subtle shade

Are we gonna talk about how he misspelled artifact

I thought this was going to be a video on Alexander the Great's tomb and crystal, see-through sarcophagus. That is an item that is still out there somewhere. Probably in Egypt, in Alexandria, as he was buried as Pharaoh in the city he founded over 2300 years ago. I hope to live to see that day if it ever comes!

I watched a documentary in where a Jewish tribe in Africa claimed to be direct descendants of Moses and the Israelites and had the Ark. It wasn't fancy but carbon dating said it was created during the proper time period. I think they did D.N.A. testing as well and found out their ancestors had come from Jerusalem as well. I never crossed checked any of the statements but what they claimed seemed to be back up by the science available at the time.

While the wood of the box is unlikely to be in good condition, the gold will be immaculate, maybe a bit dusty, but undamaged if stored carefully (which for something as valuable as that, its storage isn't a concern) so if it exists, the only way it would be destroyed is if someone destroyed it. Time doesn't care about gold.

I would just like to give some insight on this story. I am a full Christian and believe that everything in the Bible did happen. So one thing that isn’t crazy important but that I would still like to point out is that the two angles on top were actually big enough to where their feet lifted up the ark. Anyways around the attack of Nebuchadnezzar II, some men took out the ark to the command of Daniel. Daniel was a highly prioritized member in the Babylonian empire and ruled under both Nebuchadnezzars. Daniel told his men (while he was still alive) to take his riches and the ark, and hide them. Eventually the riches were used later in history as what the three wisemen gifted Mary and Jesus when he was born. As for the ark, it was actually hidden somewhere in Jerusalem, but it gets way crazier. Apparently the ark was put under ground directly beneath where Jesus was crucified, thus his blood ran down and covered the ark. You may be wondering knowledge is even obtained since nobody has found it, but that’s simply not true. Before I continue I must say something, God wanted his people to keep the ark pristine, so disrespecting it would usually lead to punishment. The ark was meant to be carried by four men at any time is was to be moved, but when the Philistines took it, they put it on a wagon. Anyone who had lifted it up on the wagon died nearly instantly as the ark began to move. Anyone who also has filthy ideas for the ark like looking at it with bad intentions would usually die instantly as well. Only people who God deems worthy were ever able to see it, which brings me on a very important character, Ron Wyatt. Ron Wyatt was a very true Christian that God used for His glory. Ron had found many, many artifacts and locations from the Bible including: Mt. Sinai, Noah’s ark, the Red Sea crossing and the chariots, and many more. Ron Wyatt went searching for the ark and after years of searching, he found it. Deep in an unknown cave in Jerusalem lied the ark of covenant. In this room however was not just the ark, but many wooden furnitures and treasures of the past. In the middle of the room was an angel who told Ron that he was chosen to take care of these items. Ever since Ron Wyatt has been the inly person to ever find the ark, and sadly, that was his last discovery. When finding Noah’s ark, he had used a new type of x-ray to find it which eventually caused cancer cells to replicate. Unfortunately the ark of the covenant was his last project as he died of cancer. Overall it is an amazing story and one day I hope another man of God rises and finishes what Ron started.

Going to leave this here just in case. Artefact is the original British English spelling. Artifact is the American English spelling. Interestingly, unlike most American spellings, artifact is the accepted form in some British publications.

Aran is a natural at having a Nasty Way About Him and still very entertaining and likeable! 😂

@Thoughty2 Are you planning to increase your uploads a week for the rest of the year? I am at the point where I've seen every single one of your videos at least twice :P

Dang, I wish we could still get massive funding for implausible hairbrained expeditions and research.... Also, the ark is nice and all, but I'd be way more excited about the rediscovered Seal of the Realm, a Chinese imperial heirlom made from a single massive piece of jade that was gifted to the first Emperor and handed down through the dynasties as a symbol of imperial power untill it was lost at the end of the Tang dynasty. Nobody has seen it since, but its symbolic power is so great that the Qing dynasty had dozens of forgeries made, and if either the CCP or Taiwan ever managed to rediscover it, it's be a massive boost to either side's claim to legitimacy.

Based on my personal hunt, I was hoping this was about someone finding my dignity. Guess the search continues.

Worth an upvote just for the Tudor Parfitt quip. I had similar ideas but went down the culinary road.

"Have we finally found histories most hunted artefact? No. No new information here." Fixed the title for you

*"That hasn't aged too well, has it?"* ...This coming from the guy shown crawling all over Warren's shaft...🤣

Actually it’s in my basement. I found it while I was digging a hole for my girlfriend to transplant a flower next to my house. Thought it looked neat and threw it in the corner of my basement to keep my extra groceries. I always wondered why nothing ever spoiled or went passed perfectly ripe while it was in there. Neat.

The most hunted artefact: the wallet that fell out of my pocket when I was climbing around in the mountains of Colorado. It had a ticket to a Rolling Stones concert, so, you're damn right, I hunted. Alas, to no avail.

As always that was another awesome video Thoughty2...though I have one small concern: there hasn't been a RIF episode in over half a year...what are chances there'll be one soon or is the podcast over with??

I would love to see you do a part 2 and cover things like replica arks sprinkled throughout the ancient world, and the archaeologist (Ron Wyatt?) who claims to have found the ark inside Golgotha and notified the Israeli Antiquities.

So much intelligence, wonder, and excitement, the guy the mustache is on is pretty cool too ig

LOCATION: Oak Island, Nova Scotia. PERIOD. lol

Dookie starts at 10:30... Seriously though, love these videos. I can watch all day long.

Some years ago I was at a church presentation where they brought out an ark replica. I thought, "o, this is stupid." Then I looked at the object and it freaked me out. Not expecting that. Which proves that even some replicas can have power.

Short answer: *No.* Of course, then we would have missed a quarter hour or so of entertaining storytelling.

I’ve always imagined Nicolas Cage owns it, and has owned it for hundreds of years

As a devoted Christian I believe the ark is in jeremiah's grotto in Jerusalem still. It makes the most sense, jeremiah was in charge of the Ark after the fall of josiah, don't think the Babylonians took the Ark as the carved mural from Babylon only shows things like the golden menora, signs, and horns, no Ark. jeremiah after haveing been released by the Babylonians after they left went on to hide the Ark away since then. It's still in Jerusalem people just aren't looking for it in the right place, from the tails of the Ark if found most likely with either, electrocute, radiant, or make you very sick is some way. So seeking it out in all reality is a bad idea as handling by unclean unworthy hands is very deadly to mostly anyone, only pure clean red heifers can be sacrificed on the alter mercy seat, 5 of these red heifers are now born and alive and in Jerusalem as for resently waiting to be sacrificed on the Ark. It is said that in the end times the Ark will be revealed and returned to the tabernacle when the third temple it rebuild. King Solomon Bought all the land on top of temple mound from a dirt salesman to build the first temple on the dome of the rock, and rebuilding on that is not a easily possibility anymore do to the Muslims. I think as Solomon and jews own the whole temple mound, the new temple might just be built off to the side of the dome when world peace in the middle east is proclaimed before the antichist takes over

Okay I'm Zimbabwean. born and raised in Harare. I can guarantee that's the funniest pronunciation of our city name😂😂...I had to listen to it 5times....it's ha-ra-re....every syllable is used

Thoughty2 is slowly becoming Infographics with RTX on

One thing you missed. On 7th day they didn't march one last time they actually marched around the walls of Jericho 7 times that day

I imagine it still in good condition today as it was coated inside and out with gold, and anyone who went near it was either killed or blinded, according to the Word. It’s whereabouts are one of the world’s greatest mysteries 💫 Reports of it being buried under the crucifixion site line up with Dr Wyatt’s discovery and analysis of the blood that dripped onto it almost 2000 years ago. APTTMH AHAYAH 🙌🏼

Jerico's walls didn't crumble. The Bible says they fell outward. They were found not to long ago laying flat outward from the city. Strange for a city being attacked from the outside.

7:08 its well known that nobody at any time in history was allowed to go near the ark becauseif people got to close to it they would end up getting sick and dying and they died of something that was pretty well exactly like radiation poisoning and the priests who took care of the ark needed special protective clothing when they visited the ark, so its not something new and just because you try to spin it as convenient doesn't make it so.

Please do a vid on the Battle of Vienna. The Winged Hussars fought against overwhelming odds and won. Sabaton has a great song about them.

If the Ark was still around, it'd be killing anybody trying to move it. Like I said in my other comment, if you weren't a priest in a certain isrealite tribe, the Ark would just immediately kill you.

13 minutes to learn that "WE finally have NOT found the Ark".

The Ark of the covenant is almost definitely destroyed. Thomas Romer makes a good argument that the ark of the covenant was a statue of Yahweh in the temple before the Babylonian Exile. There seems to be a celestial version described in a vision of Ezekiel as well. As you described, the Ethiopian church believes they have it in their possession. But 2 Kings tells us that the Babylonians destroyed all the gold in the temple. This would probably include the ark. The ark is never mentioned again in the bible for good reason.

I love this guys videos 😀. I hope there will be some sort of massively special video featuring Douglas Adams when Thoughty Two has his Forty-second birthday 😎

To my mind, The Ark of The Covenant is just like the cup of Christ (The Holy Grail) and The Shroud of Turin. Many of us look for an outward tangible manifestation of God. God is all around us if we truly seek Him with an open and pure heart. Even if The Ark of The Covenant didn't exist (which I believe it did) it gave the Israelites a true sense of faith and hope. These days, this world could surely use that. Many thanks Arran.

I can explain that physics of why the walls of Jericho fell Also you forgot to mention that the walls fell at the blowing of a horn Edit: if you want to try to figure it out yourself think about why a tank can cross a bridge but you can't march a battalion across that same bridge If you can't figure it out let me know and I'll gladly explain it so you too can spread the physics knowledge

Even if it was real, it would be disintegrated by now.

Thanks for another great video. I can depend on you and this channel for top class work.

Couldn’t we just use GPR to find out if there’s anything that even REMOTELY matches the description of the Ark anywhere near the Temple Mound? It wouldn’t actually damage anything, right? And if there’s nothing there, nobody will need to dig there anymore.

My money is on Ethiopia.. ..the fact that the "Guardian of the Ark" is replaced every few years after dying from possibly radiation poisoning is a clue to the authenticity. Usually first developing cataracts, and becoming blind. Remember that the Philistines displayed the Ark in public after it was captured and allowed the citizenry to look inside; after which all who peeked inside fell ill and died. The double hulled design (like how we contain radioactive materials) of the Ark is also a clue of radiation within. Lead is a good absorber of radiation, but gold is even better due to density. I do not presume to know what is within the Ark, but I suspect it is highly radioactive and kept hidden away for our safety. For all we know the contents fell from the heavens as a rare meteorite, and was then interpreted as a gift/weapon from God. We can only speculate on what it is.. however its effects point to a radiological object.

Then there is the idea that the Knights Templar hid the Ark along with other religious artifacts on Oak Island in Nova Scotia.

Thoughty2!! Oh boy, here I go learning something again!!!

Fantastic video buddy! As always. Just an FYI on the pronunciation of the city Harare. It’s pronounced “Huh-raa-ree” my apologies if others have already pointed this out.

There are around 60 ark churches in Ethiopia, each claiming to hold the ark. I think 59 of them are a smokescreen for the 1 ark church that ACTUALLY has it. The Catholic Church asked Ethiopia for the ark in the early 2000s but were denied

Well done, as always! I love it when you pop up in the animations.

I've been using the Ark as a dirty clothes Hamper.

The ark is in Heaven with God. _"And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple _*_the ark of his testament_*_ : and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail."_ - Revelation 11: 19

I am off the opinion that the Ark of the Covenant is indeed in Axum, Ethiopia. The simple reason for me, is that the role of 'Guardian of the Ark' is a lifetime appointment, however, once any individual takes up this role, they don't seem to live for too long thereafter... They end up with lesions on their palms and generally have rapidly declining health. And their symptoms are textbook examples of radiation exposure. So if the Ark was designed by 'God' and was (is) a weapon that could decimate their enemies, and communicate with God wirelessly... It isn't too much of a stretch to imagine it being of a technology that exceeded the knowledge of the day.

Based on the title, I thought this video was going to be about TV remotes lost in the couch cushions.

Great video (as always)! Your videos are always so interesting and informative as well as entertaining. I really look forward them!

"Where's the Ark of the Covenant?" "Dunno." "Ask Ringo, 'e Knows."

Title should have been 'We Still Haven't Found History's Most Hunted Artefact'.

This channel belongs in a museum!

83% discount and 3 months free ? that means they can't give it away !! great vid as always...cheers.

My theory, seeing as the ark itself is a religious artifact, and I am a religious man, when the attack was performed and jerusalem was once more taken over at that time, the ark was either taken away by god right then, or it was taken later when nebacannezar's son was rightly punished after using religious cups for the sake of partying.

If it was made out of gold, it is also quite likely that if it was stolen it could have been smelted down. It is also possible that it was simply destroyed especially if it was to blame for the plague, or if a king saw it to house too much power and did not want it to get into the wrong hands. That would be my guess, but who knows.

Ron Wyatt. Excavated tunnels below the site of Jesus' crucifixion and said he found it there but it was impossible to remove it. There was so much thick gold on it which made it to heavy to budge. I think it was back in the 1980's or 90's. Interesting story to say the least.

It is more likely the Templar removed it from the Temple mound, moved it to Europe, and then hidden it once they were disbanded as an order. The Ark was fashioned from a model of a box from Egypt, it was identified from the artifacts that were removed from Tuts tomb same dimensions, if it survived in Tuts tomb it. It does exist now somewhere. The one in Ethiopia is a replica from the original, as Solomon gave a copy to queen Sheba and his offspring from that relationship. Solomon would not have been able to give the original to her as his priest would have been very upset as it was guarded by the Priests at the temple in a specially designed room for the ark. You can only approach the ark with special cloths that were designed as it was a dangerous artifact.

You forgot about the story the Samaritan Israelite pass down. Ark is hidden under mount gerizim. The head priest uzzi hid it there when the jewish kohanim broke away from the northern tribes and started their own sacrifices at shiloh under Eli. Story goes that Eli made a replica which is what later ended up in Jerusalem. This is long before David about 300 years after Joshua. Remember Shechem is the orginal first capital and all the land of Isreal is divided up to give access of all the tribes to that location and the mountains of blessings and curses where the covenant is reestablish by Joshua. Uzzi was next in line by closest in relation to Aaron but Eli was the head of Treasury and in his 50s. Uzzi only in his mid 20s. Eli rejected the appointment of uzzi as head priest and emptied the treasury with his sons and made their own altar at shiloh which is on the path from Judah to shechem and would collect pilgrim's on their way to the site at shechem. Uzzi hid the ark, Moses staff and the golden candle in the mountain of blessings which magically vanished after he placed the objects in it. As far as I know no one has ever bothered to do a really good sweep of the mountains and countryside for blocked off caves even though the area is well known to have some holy burial sites. The Samaritan Israelites also have their own version of the messiah. The Taheb. Basically restorer. One of his requirements is he must find the ark, the golden candle and Moses staff.

The rest of the world: "The Ark of the Covenant? After this many years, after this many wars, stolen this many times, localized entirely within your church!?" Ethiopian orthodox church: "Yes!" The rest of the world: "May I see it?" Ethiopian orthodox church: "No."

As a PhD myself, I hope that God has it.

Watched another documentary suggesting that those monks in Ethiopia move it around and going to Ethiopia is like stepping back 2000 years in time. But I get a tonload of fun speculating about it. It's like the Holy Grail or Excalibur. 'Fortune and glory' Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom, the shankara stones, Indy is talking to Short round lol....no it didn't go past me.

The Queen of Sheba was a levite and the ark went back with her to the land of Ophir. All her gifts weren’t entirely gifts but tools of persuasion to be able to take and hide the ark of the covenant before it was taken again. Any who possess it other than a levite will receive the wrath of God as was mentioned in this video. God commanded it remain with the sons of Levi and that is where it remains still today. Now the twist. The land of Ophir and true land that the Queen of Sheba came from is a mystery, as they have been forgotten and or lost in time. It all happened to fulfill the prophecy and the covenant at the end of time. Even if we found the true land of Ophir and all of its gold, we still wouldn’t find the ark of the covenant until it’s appointed time to fulfill prophecy when the lost tribes return to fulfill the covenant with God. That’s my theory.

Ron Wyatt found it in Golgotha under the spot where Jesus was crucified. He found and had tested a substance found on the mercy seat of the Arc. The substance tested to be blood. When Jesus was crucified a soldier pierced Jesus .Blood and water poored out of him.The Earth rent and the blood and water ran down a crack and was deposited on the mercy seat of the Arc of the Covenant. This connects Jesus with the Tablets thus proving he is what he said he was.

As always, incredibly informative while being captivly humourous. Love your content completely and always look Forward with anticipation to my next viewing. Keep it going fella and you will always have a subscribed follower here. Life, the universe and everything to one and all. 42 😎

The arc is hidden away in my basement guarded by a fierce lion named mister mittens. I can't show it to you. You just need to have faith in me

The crusaders were seeking the ark. Their description of the holy grail was of the ark. It only became the cup of Christ in Mallory's writings, centuries later.

You forgot about Ron Wyatt who claimed to have found it in a cave behind the cliff near the Garden Tomb. A lot of people believe this.

Is “artefact” the UK spelling of “artifact”?

Chances are, it's in the Vatican's vast vaults.

It's defo in Ethiopia. The "ark guardian" who is the only person allowed with it, have strangely short lives after taking up the role and have been tested afterwards to show exposure to large amounts of radiation which ppl believe is caused by the "ark."

Ron Wyatt claimed to have found the Ark sometime ago, buried approx 40 feet under Jesus's crucifixion site with his blood on the right side of the mercy seat.