Another interesting article from the Times Online today, this time sending their intrepid reporter Patrick Richardson off to Ethiopia in search of the Lost Ark of the Covenant, an artifact that has spawned dozens of myths, eluded treasure seekers for millennia, and sent Indiana Jones on his first adventure.
Ethiopia is quickly becoming an amazing destination for trekkers and climbers who are looking to get away from the crowds on more well known trails. The country has plenty of beautiful scenery to take in, and remains unspoiled and a bit of a hidden gem. My friend Colm visited the place back in the spring, and had nothing but great things to say about his experiences there.
The country is deeply religious and unlike much of Northern Africa, it is a Christian nation. The rumors have circulated for years that the Ark of the Covenant was hidden away in a small, unassuming, building, guarded by a priest, in a compound a few hundred miles north of Addis Ababa. It is these rumors that sent Richardson off to the remote region to see if he could catch a glimpse of the golden container of the remnants of the Ten Commandments.
According to legend, the Queen of Sheba returned to Ethiopia in 1000 BC with the Ark, and it has rested there ever since. This followed a bit of biblical backstabbing the likes of which can only be found on a soap opera of course, but none the less, she reported made off with the holiest of artifacts, stealing it from King Solomon himself.
Now the mystique of the final resting place of the Ark remains part of the allure of Ethiopia, which seems like an unlikely resting place. Of course, Richardson doesn't set eyes on it in his journey, but that's not really the point is it? The mere fact that it could be there is the draw, both in this mystery and many of the others that cause us to visit some far off land. The article even provides links to travel providers, should you want to go searching for yourself.
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