1 00:00:04,417 --> 00:00:07,458 - Tonight, two of the Bible's most famous 2 00:00:07,458 --> 00:00:12,833 and powerful artifacts, designed by God himself 3 00:00:12,833 --> 00:00:15,042 from a mysterious chest. 4 00:00:15,042 --> 00:00:16,250 - The Ark of the Covenant 5 00:00:16,250 --> 00:00:18,917 is the most desired object in history, 6 00:00:18,917 --> 00:00:20,625 thanks to the Ark's phenomenal power 7 00:00:20,625 --> 00:00:23,792 to protect its owners and destroy their enemies. 8 00:00:23,792 --> 00:00:25,917 [dramatic music] 9 00:00:25,917 --> 00:00:28,208 - [Dennis] To a lifesaving vessel. 10 00:00:28,208 --> 00:00:32,708 - Noah's Ark is designed to save all of creation. 11 00:00:32,708 --> 00:00:36,750 - Each of these Arks has prompted innumerable quests, 12 00:00:36,750 --> 00:00:41,542 along with countless books, movies, and even operas. 13 00:00:41,542 --> 00:00:45,208 But did either Ark actually exist? 14 00:00:45,208 --> 00:00:48,958 And if so, where could they be? 15 00:00:48,958 --> 00:00:50,458 - No one has found Noah's Ark 16 00:00:50,458 --> 00:00:54,417 because they've been looking in the wrong place. 17 00:00:54,417 --> 00:00:56,250 - Crotser turns on his flashlight 18 00:00:56,250 --> 00:00:59,375 and right in front of him, he sees a gold colored box 19 00:00:59,375 --> 00:01:02,333 that can only be the Ark of the Covenant. 20 00:01:03,542 --> 00:01:07,542 - Sacred objects have inspired awe for thousands of years. 21 00:01:07,542 --> 00:01:10,875 Now, the remarkable stories behind history's 22 00:01:10,875 --> 00:01:13,625 most compelling Holy Marvels. 23 00:01:13,625 --> 00:01:15,708 [epic music] 24 00:01:20,417 --> 00:01:23,542 The Ark of the Covenant has inspired historians 25 00:01:23,542 --> 00:01:26,542 and archeologists for thousands of years. 26 00:01:26,542 --> 00:01:29,625 It's been seen in countless works of art 27 00:01:29,625 --> 00:01:32,708 and even chased down by Indiana Jones. 28 00:01:32,708 --> 00:01:34,458 But the real life story 29 00:01:34,458 --> 00:01:36,958 might be even better than the movies. 30 00:01:36,958 --> 00:01:39,208 [intense music] 31 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,583 - There's an argument to be made 32 00:01:43,583 --> 00:01:46,750 that this might be the most desired object in history, 33 00:01:46,750 --> 00:01:49,833 thanks to the phenomenal power it's said to possess. 34 00:01:49,833 --> 00:01:51,417 Millions of people are familiar 35 00:01:51,417 --> 00:01:54,833 with the tales of the Ark's ability to protect its owners 36 00:01:54,833 --> 00:01:56,333 and destroy their enemies. 37 00:01:57,500 --> 00:01:59,542 - Of course, we all know Indiana Jones 38 00:01:59,542 --> 00:02:02,583 was fascinated by the Ark, but so was Adolf Hitler 39 00:02:02,583 --> 00:02:05,500 and several other high ranking Nazis. 40 00:02:05,500 --> 00:02:09,708 This is described as the most powerful weapon ever built. 41 00:02:09,708 --> 00:02:13,292 - The story of the Ark starts around the 13th century BC 42 00:02:13,292 --> 00:02:15,958 with a group of people called the Israelites. 43 00:02:15,958 --> 00:02:17,667 They've been enslaved by the Egyptians 44 00:02:17,667 --> 00:02:20,167 and they're eager to change their situation. 45 00:02:21,333 --> 00:02:23,667 - In the book of Exodus, with God's help, 46 00:02:23,667 --> 00:02:26,208 Moses leads the Israelites out of bondage 47 00:02:26,208 --> 00:02:27,542 and into the desert, 48 00:02:27,542 --> 00:02:30,167 searching for a place they call the Promised Land. 49 00:02:31,458 --> 00:02:34,042 Eventually as they travel through the desert, 50 00:02:34,042 --> 00:02:37,583 they reach Mount Sinai, where God appears before Moses 51 00:02:37,583 --> 00:02:39,708 and gives him the 10 Commandments. 52 00:02:39,708 --> 00:02:42,292 - God also tells Moses to build him a holy vessel 53 00:02:42,292 --> 00:02:44,458 to hold the tablets of the Commandments. 54 00:02:44,458 --> 00:02:46,625 This is the Ark of the Covenant. 55 00:02:46,625 --> 00:02:50,208 The Hebrew word aron means Ark or box, 56 00:02:50,208 --> 00:02:52,542 and the covenant refers to the sacred agreement 57 00:02:52,542 --> 00:02:54,417 between God and the Israelites. 58 00:02:55,417 --> 00:02:59,208 - [Dennis] In the Bible, God himself gives Moses 59 00:02:59,208 --> 00:03:02,292 detailed instructions for building the Ark. 60 00:03:02,292 --> 00:03:04,375 - The Ark is to be made of acacia wood, 61 00:03:04,375 --> 00:03:08,125 2.5 cubits long, 1.5 cubits wide, 62 00:03:08,125 --> 00:03:10,375 and 1.5 cubits high, 63 00:03:10,375 --> 00:03:14,333 which translates to approximately 52 inches long, 64 00:03:14,333 --> 00:03:17,875 31 inches wide, 31 inches high. 65 00:03:17,875 --> 00:03:21,250 - It's covered entirely in gold inside and out, 66 00:03:21,250 --> 00:03:24,375 and it has four rings along the side of it. 67 00:03:24,375 --> 00:03:26,125 These are meant for special poles, 68 00:03:26,125 --> 00:03:27,750 made of the same wood, to pass through 69 00:03:27,750 --> 00:03:30,208 so that the Ark can be carried with the people 70 00:03:30,208 --> 00:03:32,208 as they traveled through the desert. 71 00:03:32,208 --> 00:03:35,458 And finally, the box is topped off 72 00:03:35,458 --> 00:03:37,750 with a really ornate gold lid 73 00:03:37,750 --> 00:03:41,250 that has two modeled cherubim angels on the top. 74 00:03:42,208 --> 00:03:43,875 - [Dennis] Once the Ark is ready, 75 00:03:43,875 --> 00:03:48,500 the Israelites carry it with them wherever they go. 76 00:03:48,500 --> 00:03:51,083 - The Bible itself, it tends to suggest 77 00:03:51,083 --> 00:03:54,250 that this is a very dangerous object, 78 00:03:54,250 --> 00:03:57,000 as well as being a very holy object. 79 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,750 There are accounts of people looking at it directly 80 00:03:59,750 --> 00:04:00,917 becoming blinded. 81 00:04:00,917 --> 00:04:02,375 There are accounts of people getting too close 82 00:04:02,375 --> 00:04:05,125 and having their skin erupt in boils. 83 00:04:05,125 --> 00:04:07,958 Even Moses, when he was the first one to encounter this, 84 00:04:07,958 --> 00:04:09,500 his face becomes disfigured 85 00:04:09,500 --> 00:04:12,708 and he goes through the rest of his life wearing a veil. 86 00:04:12,708 --> 00:04:14,958 [intense music] 87 00:04:14,958 --> 00:04:16,333 - [Dennis] The Ark demonstrates 88 00:04:16,333 --> 00:04:19,583 other kinds of incredible power as well. 89 00:04:19,583 --> 00:04:22,125 - In the book of Joshua, in the Old Testament, 90 00:04:22,125 --> 00:04:24,167 an army of 40,000 Israelites 91 00:04:24,167 --> 00:04:26,875 have their sight set on the city of Jericho, 92 00:04:26,875 --> 00:04:28,875 but they've reached an obstacle. 93 00:04:28,875 --> 00:04:32,083 The Jordan River is in a massive flood stage 94 00:04:32,083 --> 00:04:33,750 and there's no way around it. 95 00:04:33,750 --> 00:04:37,833 That is until several priests emerge carrying the Ark. 96 00:04:38,833 --> 00:04:42,292 - They put their feet in the river and the river dries up, 97 00:04:42,292 --> 00:04:44,375 much like the drying up of the Red Sea 98 00:04:44,375 --> 00:04:46,167 when Moses crosses it. 99 00:04:46,167 --> 00:04:48,042 It's a sign that God is operating 100 00:04:48,042 --> 00:04:49,500 through the power of the Ark. 101 00:04:50,833 --> 00:04:52,667 - Once they reach the walls of Jericho, 102 00:04:52,667 --> 00:04:55,708 the Israelites begin their attack with a siege. 103 00:04:55,708 --> 00:04:58,708 They blow horns and march the Ark 104 00:04:58,708 --> 00:05:01,708 around the entire circumference of the city. 105 00:05:01,708 --> 00:05:04,833 They do this every day for a week 106 00:05:04,833 --> 00:05:09,333 until, on the seventh day, the walls of Jericho fall. 107 00:05:10,375 --> 00:05:11,917 - It's incredible. 108 00:05:11,917 --> 00:05:13,917 No catapults, no cannons. 109 00:05:13,917 --> 00:05:16,792 The walls just crumble as if by magic. 110 00:05:17,750 --> 00:05:20,375 - The Bible makes this very clear. 111 00:05:20,375 --> 00:05:21,708 This would only have been possible 112 00:05:21,708 --> 00:05:24,250 thanks to the power of the object that they have, 113 00:05:24,250 --> 00:05:25,917 this weapon. 114 00:05:25,917 --> 00:05:28,875 Without the Ark of the Covenant, that they had no hope. 115 00:05:28,875 --> 00:05:32,292 But with it, they're an unstoppable force. 116 00:05:33,542 --> 00:05:35,375 - [Dennis] What's the secret 117 00:05:35,375 --> 00:05:38,667 behind the object's immense power? 118 00:05:38,667 --> 00:05:42,167 - It's believed the Ark actually houses God 119 00:05:42,167 --> 00:05:43,875 full-time on Earth. 120 00:05:43,875 --> 00:05:47,458 No other item in the Bible ever grants the ability 121 00:05:47,458 --> 00:05:51,042 to carry the power of God around in the front of your army. 122 00:05:52,917 --> 00:05:56,583 - Moses actually talks directly to God using the Ark. 123 00:05:56,583 --> 00:05:58,625 They have conversations where God speaks 124 00:05:58,625 --> 00:06:00,708 from between the two cherubs on the lid. 125 00:06:01,750 --> 00:06:03,708 - [Dennis] The Ark is next mentioned 126 00:06:03,708 --> 00:06:07,792 in an important Old Testament book called 1 Samuel. 127 00:06:08,792 --> 00:06:10,083 - In 1 Samuel, 128 00:06:10,083 --> 00:06:12,917 the Philistines go to war against the Israelites. 129 00:06:12,917 --> 00:06:14,417 During the fighting, 130 00:06:14,417 --> 00:06:16,542 the Philistines actually manage to steal the Ark, 131 00:06:16,542 --> 00:06:18,542 which is pretty surprising. 132 00:06:18,542 --> 00:06:21,250 When they get it home, they place it in a vault 133 00:06:21,250 --> 00:06:24,917 where they also keep a statue of their own God, Dagon. 134 00:06:26,042 --> 00:06:29,333 The next day, they find Dagon in a totally different spot, 135 00:06:29,333 --> 00:06:32,875 face down, bowed before the Ark. 136 00:06:32,875 --> 00:06:35,792 - The Philistines begin to suffer from plagues of boils. 137 00:06:35,792 --> 00:06:39,625 And to make matters worse, mice overrun the city. 138 00:06:39,625 --> 00:06:42,708 They realize that the Ark is not a force to be trifled with, 139 00:06:42,708 --> 00:06:45,000 so they bring it back to the Israelites. 140 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,458 And soon after, their maladies are healed. 141 00:06:48,708 --> 00:06:51,292 - The Ark of the Covenant becomes a large part 142 00:06:51,292 --> 00:06:53,542 of the Israelites' military strategy. 143 00:06:53,542 --> 00:06:55,208 They continue winning battles with it 144 00:06:55,208 --> 00:06:58,667 and because it's a direct way to converse with God, 145 00:06:58,667 --> 00:07:01,375 they can consult it, and receive advice 146 00:07:01,375 --> 00:07:03,000 and tactics before battle. 147 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,292 - [Dennis] Eventually, around 1,000 BC, 148 00:07:07,292 --> 00:07:10,667 the Israelites bring the Ark to Jerusalem 149 00:07:10,667 --> 00:07:13,125 where King Solomon builds a temple for it. 150 00:07:15,667 --> 00:07:17,542 - On the top of a hill called Mount Moriah, 151 00:07:17,542 --> 00:07:21,250 Solomon constructs a massive holy compound. 152 00:07:21,250 --> 00:07:22,875 He has the hill leveled flat, 153 00:07:22,875 --> 00:07:26,208 and it becomes known as the Temple Mount. 154 00:07:26,208 --> 00:07:27,667 At the center of the temple, 155 00:07:27,667 --> 00:07:31,625 Solomon builds a chamber called the Holy of Holies. 156 00:07:31,625 --> 00:07:34,542 The Ark of the Covenant is placed inside 157 00:07:34,542 --> 00:07:37,250 and it becomes the central focal point 158 00:07:37,250 --> 00:07:39,375 of the Israelite religion. 159 00:07:39,375 --> 00:07:43,375 God now has a permanent home amongst humankind 160 00:07:43,375 --> 00:07:45,083 where he can speak to his followers. 161 00:07:46,542 --> 00:07:48,667 - [Dennis] For around 400 years, 162 00:07:48,667 --> 00:07:51,583 the Ark remains in the temple undisturbed, 163 00:07:52,625 --> 00:07:55,542 until 587 BC. 164 00:07:56,958 --> 00:08:00,542 - There's a rival kingdom right next door in Mesopotamia 165 00:08:00,542 --> 00:08:05,042 called the Babylonians, led by King Nebuchadnezzar II. 166 00:08:06,708 --> 00:08:10,750 - The Babylonians wage a savage war against Jerusalem. 167 00:08:10,750 --> 00:08:13,667 After a 30-month-long siege, 168 00:08:13,667 --> 00:08:17,542 they completely destroy the city, tearing down the temple 169 00:08:17,542 --> 00:08:19,583 and lighting the whole place on fire. 170 00:08:21,417 --> 00:08:23,375 - As far as the Bible is concerned, this is 171 00:08:23,375 --> 00:08:26,292 the last mention of the Ark of the Covenant's location. 172 00:08:26,292 --> 00:08:30,458 It's in Jerusalem, and then Jerusalem is destroyed. 173 00:08:32,542 --> 00:08:35,708 So from here, you have basically two options. 174 00:08:35,708 --> 00:08:38,083 Either the Ark is destroyed along with the temple, 175 00:08:38,083 --> 00:08:40,083 or it's not. 176 00:08:41,083 --> 00:08:44,708 - [Dennis] If it survives, where could it be? 177 00:08:44,708 --> 00:08:46,750 - In a Jewish source called the Mishna, 178 00:08:46,750 --> 00:08:50,083 it's believed that just before the Babylonians close in, 179 00:08:50,083 --> 00:08:52,875 the prophet Jeremiah is able to hide the Ark 180 00:08:52,875 --> 00:08:56,167 in a secret passageway underneath the temple. 181 00:08:57,417 --> 00:08:59,875 - Remember, Jerusalem is under siege 182 00:08:59,875 --> 00:09:02,458 for nearly three years before its destruction. 183 00:09:02,458 --> 00:09:06,125 Getting the Ark out of the city might've been too difficult. 184 00:09:07,542 --> 00:09:10,458 - There are hundreds, maybe thousands of chambers 185 00:09:10,458 --> 00:09:12,833 and tunnels inside Mount Moriah, 186 00:09:12,833 --> 00:09:15,083 but exploring them is nearly impossible 187 00:09:15,083 --> 00:09:16,917 due to the all important and fragile 188 00:09:16,917 --> 00:09:20,458 historical sites all around, as well as the politics 189 00:09:20,458 --> 00:09:23,708 between the Jewish and Muslim and Christian communities. 190 00:09:23,708 --> 00:09:26,750 The Temple Mount is currently under Islamic control. 191 00:09:27,708 --> 00:09:29,875 - But these considerable challenges 192 00:09:29,875 --> 00:09:32,042 haven't stopped a few notable people 193 00:09:32,042 --> 00:09:35,917 from trying to find the Ark within Mount Moriah. 194 00:09:37,667 --> 00:09:41,083 - [Dennis] Including amateur archeologist Ron Wyatt. 195 00:09:42,042 --> 00:09:46,000 - Wyatt starts out as a nurse anesthetist. 196 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:47,708 He's an evangelical Christian 197 00:09:47,708 --> 00:09:50,958 and he becomes fascinated by biblical history. 198 00:09:50,958 --> 00:09:53,833 He makes over a hundred trips to the Holy Land, 199 00:09:53,833 --> 00:09:57,917 trying to locate multiple biblical artifacts. 200 00:09:57,917 --> 00:10:01,000 By around 1980, Wyatt focuses his efforts 201 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,583 on finding the Ark of the Covenant under Mount Moriah. 202 00:10:04,583 --> 00:10:06,625 So he starts by exploring some of the tunnels 203 00:10:06,625 --> 00:10:08,208 that enter in from the north, 204 00:10:08,208 --> 00:10:11,375 and Wyatt claims to see the chamber and tunnel 205 00:10:11,375 --> 00:10:13,000 that has remained untouched. 206 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:15,542 It's completely empty and undisturbed. 207 00:10:15,542 --> 00:10:16,833 He takes this to mean 208 00:10:16,833 --> 00:10:19,875 that nobody has ever discovered it before. 209 00:10:19,875 --> 00:10:23,708 - He spots a large stalactite hanging from the roof 210 00:10:23,708 --> 00:10:27,542 and it appears to be blocking a chamber behind it. 211 00:10:27,542 --> 00:10:29,833 According to Wyatt, he squeezes through, 212 00:10:29,833 --> 00:10:31,875 takes out his flashlight, 213 00:10:31,875 --> 00:10:33,833 and he immediately sees something 214 00:10:33,833 --> 00:10:35,833 on the far side of the chamber. 215 00:10:35,833 --> 00:10:38,542 He realizes he's looking at a large case 216 00:10:38,542 --> 00:10:41,042 that's sitting on a stone platform. 217 00:10:41,958 --> 00:10:43,958 - [Dennis] To get a closer look, 218 00:10:43,958 --> 00:10:46,833 Wyatt brings in a surprising piece of equipment. 219 00:10:47,708 --> 00:10:50,042 - He uses a colonoscope, 220 00:10:50,042 --> 00:10:53,792 the same thing that doctors use to do colonoscopies, 221 00:10:53,792 --> 00:10:55,083 to look inside. 222 00:10:55,083 --> 00:10:57,667 Remember, he's trained as a nurse anesthetist, 223 00:10:57,667 --> 00:10:59,292 not an archeologist. 224 00:10:59,292 --> 00:11:03,375 He drills a 5/8th-inch hole into the stone case 225 00:11:03,375 --> 00:11:05,917 and he inserts his camera. 226 00:11:05,917 --> 00:11:08,458 Wyatt claims to see that there's a box 227 00:11:08,458 --> 00:11:10,375 with a flat golden side, 228 00:11:10,375 --> 00:11:13,167 and on top, he sees a cherub. 229 00:11:13,167 --> 00:11:14,375 This is it. 230 00:11:14,375 --> 00:11:17,417 He believes he's found the Ark of the Covenant. 231 00:11:18,583 --> 00:11:20,500 - [Dennis] But Wyatt keeps the details 232 00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:22,792 of his discovery a secret. 233 00:11:23,750 --> 00:11:26,250 - Wyatt says that God instructs him 234 00:11:26,250 --> 00:11:29,042 to leave the Ark just as he found it. 235 00:11:29,042 --> 00:11:31,292 God tells him that there will be a time 236 00:11:31,292 --> 00:11:32,875 leading up to the apocalypse 237 00:11:32,875 --> 00:11:35,125 when all will finally be revealed, 238 00:11:35,125 --> 00:11:39,708 where the Ark will be restored to its glory. 239 00:11:39,708 --> 00:11:41,958 - So Wyatt seals up the cave 240 00:11:41,958 --> 00:11:44,250 and doesn't reveal its exact location. 241 00:11:44,250 --> 00:11:46,875 He passes away in 1999. 242 00:11:46,875 --> 00:11:50,167 Who knows? Maybe someday, they'll get an excavation permit 243 00:11:50,167 --> 00:11:52,750 and be able to prove Wyatt's claims. 244 00:11:52,750 --> 00:11:56,250 But until that happens, most Ark hunters think 245 00:11:56,250 --> 00:11:58,167 it's best to keep looking elsewhere. 246 00:12:01,875 --> 00:12:03,250 - [Dennis] According to the Bible, 247 00:12:03,250 --> 00:12:05,542 the Ark of the Covenant's last known location 248 00:12:05,542 --> 00:12:08,167 is Solomon's temple in Jerusalem, 249 00:12:08,167 --> 00:12:11,667 before it completely disappears from the historical record 250 00:12:11,667 --> 00:12:13,875 in 587 BC. 251 00:12:14,875 --> 00:12:16,417 - That's the same time the Babylonians 252 00:12:16,417 --> 00:12:19,375 lay siege to Jerusalem and eventually destroy the temple 253 00:12:19,375 --> 00:12:22,125 and some believe, along with it, the Ark. 254 00:12:23,750 --> 00:12:26,792 - [Dennis] But one scripture called 2 Maccabees 255 00:12:26,792 --> 00:12:28,750 offers a different possibility. 256 00:12:29,708 --> 00:12:34,292 The Ark might have been saved by a prophet named Jeremiah. 257 00:12:35,583 --> 00:12:37,708 - Jeremiah receives a divine message, 258 00:12:37,708 --> 00:12:40,167 which the scripture calls an oracle. 259 00:12:40,167 --> 00:12:42,750 And then, having received this oracle, 260 00:12:42,750 --> 00:12:44,250 Jeremiah, and I'm quoting, 261 00:12:44,250 --> 00:12:47,833 "Ordered that the Ark should follow with him." 262 00:12:47,833 --> 00:12:50,083 So they pick up the Ark, along with a couple 263 00:12:50,083 --> 00:12:53,417 of other temple treasures, and they sneak out of Jerusalem. 264 00:12:54,833 --> 00:12:57,125 - He gets around the Babylonian blockade 265 00:12:57,125 --> 00:13:00,375 and Jeremiah is ordered to take these holy objects 266 00:13:00,375 --> 00:13:04,083 to, quote, "The mountain where Moses went up 267 00:13:04,083 --> 00:13:06,250 and saw the inheritance of God." 268 00:13:07,250 --> 00:13:10,583 - [Dennis] In the Bible, that location is Mount Nebo, 269 00:13:10,583 --> 00:13:13,042 which is in present day Jordan. 270 00:13:13,042 --> 00:13:15,167 - According to 2 Maccabees, 271 00:13:15,167 --> 00:13:18,542 Jeremiah came and found a cave dwelling, 272 00:13:18,542 --> 00:13:22,000 and he brought there the Ark and the altar of incense, 273 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,417 and he sealed up the entrance. 274 00:13:24,417 --> 00:13:27,458 - So 2 Maccabees serves as a kind of treasure map 275 00:13:27,458 --> 00:13:31,042 for people who wanna find the Ark and follow Jeremiah's path 276 00:13:31,042 --> 00:13:33,208 and look for a cave that's been sealed up. 277 00:13:35,875 --> 00:13:37,958 - [Dennis] Including a Bible school teacher 278 00:13:37,958 --> 00:13:40,917 named A.F. Futterer. 279 00:13:40,917 --> 00:13:44,667 - Futterer is born in Australia in 1871 280 00:13:44,667 --> 00:13:49,042 and from an early age, he has a great passion for adventure. 281 00:13:49,042 --> 00:13:51,083 - When he isn't teaching scripture, 282 00:13:51,083 --> 00:13:54,750 he spends his time researching his other passion, 283 00:13:54,750 --> 00:13:56,083 the Ark of the Covenant. 284 00:13:57,042 --> 00:13:58,500 - He studies everything about the Ark 285 00:13:58,500 --> 00:14:00,375 that he can get his hands on. 286 00:14:00,375 --> 00:14:03,500 And in 1926, after two years of preparation, 287 00:14:03,500 --> 00:14:05,250 he sets out to find it. 288 00:14:08,042 --> 00:14:09,958 Futterer travels to what was then called 289 00:14:09,958 --> 00:14:11,583 the Emirate of Transjordan. 290 00:14:12,708 --> 00:14:15,167 - [Dennis] When he arrives in 1926, 291 00:14:15,167 --> 00:14:19,125 Futterer and two assistants hike to the top of Mount Nebo. 292 00:14:20,042 --> 00:14:21,583 - Once they're at the summit, 293 00:14:21,583 --> 00:14:24,458 Futterer spots an indentation that's sealed by stone, 294 00:14:24,458 --> 00:14:27,500 similar to what's described in 2 Maccabees. 295 00:14:28,500 --> 00:14:31,083 - Futterer sees an opening in the roof of the cave 296 00:14:31,083 --> 00:14:33,375 where the indentation is 297 00:14:33,375 --> 00:14:37,875 and he has the assistants lower him inside on a rope. 298 00:14:37,875 --> 00:14:39,542 Once he reaches the ground, 299 00:14:39,542 --> 00:14:43,875 he sees a long corridor with drawings on one of the walls. 300 00:14:45,167 --> 00:14:47,542 As he gets closer, he believes that the markings 301 00:14:47,542 --> 00:14:51,167 are some kind of pre-Christian petroglyphs. 302 00:14:52,958 --> 00:14:57,208 - He takes his journal out and he draws a sketch 303 00:14:57,208 --> 00:15:00,250 of everything that he sees on the wall. 304 00:15:00,250 --> 00:15:02,167 - At this point, Futterer is convinced 305 00:15:02,167 --> 00:15:03,500 he's in the right place. 306 00:15:03,500 --> 00:15:05,833 He believes the Ark must be hidden or buried 307 00:15:05,833 --> 00:15:07,292 somewhere in this cave. 308 00:15:08,375 --> 00:15:10,375 - [Dennis] There's only one problem. 309 00:15:10,375 --> 00:15:12,708 - Because the cave is a historical site, 310 00:15:12,708 --> 00:15:16,167 Futterer is forbidden from doing any kind of excavation. 311 00:15:17,375 --> 00:15:19,542 - [Dennis] Despite leaving empty handed, 312 00:15:19,542 --> 00:15:21,500 Futterer doesn't give up. 313 00:15:21,500 --> 00:15:24,250 - So the story goes that, with his journal in hand, 314 00:15:24,250 --> 00:15:26,042 Futterer goes back to Jerusalem 315 00:15:26,042 --> 00:15:30,000 and he shows his sketches to a scholar of Hebrew. 316 00:15:30,000 --> 00:15:33,000 The scholar looks at Futterer and tells him, 317 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:36,833 "This says, 'Herein lies the golden Ark.'" 318 00:15:36,833 --> 00:15:39,083 [intense music] 319 00:15:39,083 --> 00:15:40,750 - Futterer is ecstatic. 320 00:15:40,750 --> 00:15:42,417 He goes back to the local authorities 321 00:15:42,417 --> 00:15:45,875 and tries everything in his power to get permission to dig, 322 00:15:45,875 --> 00:15:48,042 but they just won't budge. 323 00:15:48,042 --> 00:15:51,042 So, similar to Ron Wyatt, Futterer believes 324 00:15:51,042 --> 00:15:54,250 his experience is simply part of God's plan, 325 00:15:54,250 --> 00:15:56,625 that the Ark is not meant to be found yet. 326 00:15:57,875 --> 00:16:01,250 - [Dennis] A.F. Futterer dies in 1951, 327 00:16:01,250 --> 00:16:05,375 but his work inspires others to pick up where he left off. 328 00:16:05,375 --> 00:16:08,000 - Decades later, an amateur archeologist 329 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:09,625 named Thomas Crotser 330 00:16:09,625 --> 00:16:13,167 aims to build on Futterer's work looking for the Ark. 331 00:16:13,167 --> 00:16:16,583 Crotser gets a hold of Futterer's original drawings 332 00:16:16,583 --> 00:16:18,208 from inside the cave 333 00:16:18,208 --> 00:16:22,042 and he sets off to Jordan with three associates in 1981. 334 00:16:23,292 --> 00:16:25,792 - Crotser and his friends plan to search the area 335 00:16:25,792 --> 00:16:27,792 around the top of Mount Nebo. 336 00:16:27,792 --> 00:16:29,417 But before they go any further, 337 00:16:29,417 --> 00:16:32,542 they have to get permission from the Franciscan monastery 338 00:16:32,542 --> 00:16:34,708 that now owns the land at the summit. 339 00:16:36,750 --> 00:16:40,375 - The director of the monastery issues Crotser a permit 340 00:16:40,375 --> 00:16:42,583 that grants them permission to explore 341 00:16:42,583 --> 00:16:44,250 and photograph the caves, 342 00:16:44,250 --> 00:16:48,125 but they only have five days to search. 343 00:16:48,125 --> 00:16:51,458 On their last day on the mountain, they find a cave 344 00:16:51,458 --> 00:16:55,542 that appears to perfectly match Futterer's drawings. 345 00:16:55,542 --> 00:16:58,875 - Eventually, they come to a wall blocking their path. 346 00:16:58,875 --> 00:17:01,250 Luckily, there's a small hole in the wall 347 00:17:01,250 --> 00:17:04,167 allowing them to squeeze through one at a time. 348 00:17:05,333 --> 00:17:06,958 - According to Crotser's account, 349 00:17:06,958 --> 00:17:10,208 they encounter two more walls. 350 00:17:10,208 --> 00:17:13,458 This time, they have to break through to get past. 351 00:17:13,458 --> 00:17:16,042 This totally goes against the rules of the permit, 352 00:17:16,042 --> 00:17:17,625 but they do it anyways, 353 00:17:17,625 --> 00:17:21,375 and they find themselves inside a small chamber. 354 00:17:21,375 --> 00:17:22,875 - Crotser turns on his flashlight 355 00:17:22,875 --> 00:17:26,292 and right in front of him, he sees a gold colored box 356 00:17:26,292 --> 00:17:29,292 that can only be the Ark of the Covenant. 357 00:17:30,833 --> 00:17:33,583 Next to the box, the men see a wrapped bundle of poles 358 00:17:33,583 --> 00:17:36,375 like the ones that would've been used to carry the Ark. 359 00:17:37,500 --> 00:17:39,375 - [Dennis] Crotser measures the box 360 00:17:39,375 --> 00:17:43,333 and remarkably, the dimensions match the biblical account. 361 00:17:44,417 --> 00:17:47,042 - Crotser knows removing the Ark from the cave 362 00:17:47,042 --> 00:17:49,792 would have pretty grave consequences, 363 00:17:49,792 --> 00:17:52,125 and he decides that the best thing that they could do 364 00:17:52,125 --> 00:17:53,792 would be to photograph the Ark. 365 00:17:55,125 --> 00:17:57,042 - [Dennis] When he gets back to the US, 366 00:17:57,042 --> 00:17:59,917 Crotser announces his discovery to the media 367 00:17:59,917 --> 00:18:02,625 in November of 1981. 368 00:18:02,625 --> 00:18:04,583 - In response to Crotser's announcement, 369 00:18:04,583 --> 00:18:07,167 the Biblical Archeology Review Magazine 370 00:18:07,167 --> 00:18:10,042 sends a prominent archeologist to interview Crotser 371 00:18:10,042 --> 00:18:12,250 and review his evidence. 372 00:18:12,250 --> 00:18:15,500 - Crotser shows Dr. Siegfried Horn slides of the photos 373 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:17,458 he took inside the cave chamber, 374 00:18:17,458 --> 00:18:20,542 but nearly all of the slides are dark and blurry 375 00:18:20,542 --> 00:18:23,000 and Horn can't really tell what he's looking at. 376 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:27,333 - Just as he's about to write off Crotser's story as a hoax, 377 00:18:27,333 --> 00:18:31,542 he sees two pictures that are of reasonable quality, 378 00:18:31,542 --> 00:18:35,208 and in these photos, he sees what appears to be an Ark. 379 00:18:35,208 --> 00:18:37,542 [dramatic music] 380 00:18:37,542 --> 00:18:39,875 Horn's magazine wants him to fly to Jordan 381 00:18:39,875 --> 00:18:43,792 to verify what Crotser claims to be the Ark of the Covenant. 382 00:18:43,792 --> 00:18:46,708 But before Horn can make his trip to Mount Nebo, 383 00:18:46,708 --> 00:18:48,250 the trip is canceled. 384 00:18:49,792 --> 00:18:52,667 - Once the Jordanian government learns that Crotser's team 385 00:18:52,667 --> 00:18:56,167 disobeyed the rules and dug inside the cave, 386 00:18:56,167 --> 00:18:58,292 they cancel all archeological permits 387 00:18:58,292 --> 00:19:00,500 for the foreseeable future. 388 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,417 This means that nobody has been back inside the cave 389 00:19:03,417 --> 00:19:05,125 for more than 40 years. 390 00:19:10,375 --> 00:19:12,417 - [Dennis] The search for the Ark of the Covenant 391 00:19:12,417 --> 00:19:14,708 has crisscrossed the globe and continues today. 392 00:19:14,708 --> 00:19:17,417 But one group in particular believes 393 00:19:17,417 --> 00:19:19,667 it's all been a wasted effort, 394 00:19:19,667 --> 00:19:22,542 because they already know where it is. 395 00:19:24,500 --> 00:19:27,958 - Judaism has a very, very long history in Ethiopia. 396 00:19:27,958 --> 00:19:31,958 When the Jews fled Egypt, they did it in two directions. 397 00:19:31,958 --> 00:19:33,500 One going south along the Nile, 398 00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:35,417 which brings you right to Ethiopia, 399 00:19:35,417 --> 00:19:37,208 and the other one north through the desert, 400 00:19:37,208 --> 00:19:38,958 and eventually into Israel. 401 00:19:39,917 --> 00:19:43,333 So the Ethiopian Jews were there right from the very start. 402 00:19:43,333 --> 00:19:45,708 - Ethiopian texts give several different accounts 403 00:19:45,708 --> 00:19:48,125 about how the Ark got into their possession, 404 00:19:48,125 --> 00:19:51,042 but all of them state that it was willfully 405 00:19:51,042 --> 00:19:52,583 and rightfully brought there. 406 00:19:53,667 --> 00:19:57,250 - [Dennis] In 2002, researcher Bob Cornuke 407 00:19:57,250 --> 00:20:00,292 attempts to get to the bottom of this. 408 00:20:00,292 --> 00:20:02,875 - Bob Cornuke is a former crime scene investigator 409 00:20:02,875 --> 00:20:05,542 and he leads a team called BASE, 410 00:20:05,542 --> 00:20:08,583 Bible Archeology Search and Expedition. 411 00:20:10,042 --> 00:20:11,625 He starts by trying to figure out 412 00:20:11,625 --> 00:20:15,708 precisely when and why the Ark was taken out of Jerusalem. 413 00:20:15,708 --> 00:20:18,708 He believes it happened before the Babylonian invasion, 414 00:20:18,708 --> 00:20:23,333 around 687 BC, during the reign of King Menasseh. 415 00:20:24,333 --> 00:20:27,250 - Menasseh is a nefarious ruler who, quote, 416 00:20:27,250 --> 00:20:29,542 "Shed so much innocent blood 417 00:20:29,542 --> 00:20:32,500 that he filled Jerusalem from end to end." 418 00:20:33,500 --> 00:20:36,667 He kills his son by burning him alive. 419 00:20:36,667 --> 00:20:39,250 He also murders the prophet Isaiah. 420 00:20:40,708 --> 00:20:44,542 These acts greatly disturb the Levite priests of Jerusalem 421 00:20:44,542 --> 00:20:47,458 who are tasked with maintaining the temple 422 00:20:47,458 --> 00:20:49,000 and keeping the Ark. 423 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:50,750 So under the cover of darkness, 424 00:20:50,750 --> 00:20:53,875 the priests grab the Ark and flee the city. 425 00:20:56,333 --> 00:20:57,917 - [Dennis] Next, they supposedly 426 00:20:57,917 --> 00:21:02,625 travel down the Nile River to Elephantine Island in Egypt, 427 00:21:02,625 --> 00:21:07,167 where a small colony of Jews have migrated from Israel. 428 00:21:07,167 --> 00:21:08,917 - So that's where Cornuke goes. 429 00:21:08,917 --> 00:21:11,042 He arrives at Elephantine Island 430 00:21:11,042 --> 00:21:13,875 and his team immediately begins to investigate. 431 00:21:13,875 --> 00:21:16,542 They claim to discover the ruins of a temple 432 00:21:16,542 --> 00:21:19,875 with the same dimensions of Solomon's temple in Jerusalem. 433 00:21:19,875 --> 00:21:22,042 They're able to determine that the temple was built 434 00:21:22,042 --> 00:21:24,417 around 650 BC. 435 00:21:25,417 --> 00:21:27,708 - According to Israelite law, 436 00:21:27,708 --> 00:21:31,583 temples were not supposed to be built outside of Jerusalem. 437 00:21:31,583 --> 00:21:33,833 The only reason a temple would've been built 438 00:21:33,833 --> 00:21:36,750 would be to house something as magnificent 439 00:21:36,750 --> 00:21:39,292 and as holy as the Ark of the Covenant. 440 00:21:40,917 --> 00:21:43,292 - [Dennis] But to Cornuke's disappointment, 441 00:21:43,292 --> 00:21:45,500 the Ark is no longer there. 442 00:21:46,500 --> 00:21:49,542 - Cornuke is told that the Ark was taken long ago 443 00:21:49,542 --> 00:21:52,208 to the city of Aksum, and now resides 444 00:21:52,208 --> 00:21:54,667 in the Chapel of the Tablet next door 445 00:21:54,667 --> 00:21:57,708 to the Cathedral of our Lady Mary of Zion. 446 00:21:59,250 --> 00:22:01,792 - So Bob Cornuke goes to Aksum, 447 00:22:01,792 --> 00:22:05,208 but only one person is allowed to have access to the Ark, 448 00:22:05,208 --> 00:22:07,083 and that's the guardian monk of the Ark. 449 00:22:07,083 --> 00:22:09,458 No one else is allowed in. 450 00:22:09,458 --> 00:22:11,583 - Cornuke is allowed to speak with the guardian, 451 00:22:11,583 --> 00:22:14,500 who tells him that, "Yes, indeed, the Ark is here 452 00:22:14,500 --> 00:22:15,792 in the chapel behind me." 453 00:22:15,792 --> 00:22:17,625 But it'll never be shown to the world, 454 00:22:17,625 --> 00:22:20,333 out of fear that it's far too powerful. 455 00:22:22,667 --> 00:22:25,833 - After his trip to Ethiopia, Cornuke is convinced. 456 00:22:25,833 --> 00:22:28,542 He writes several books about his experience 457 00:22:28,542 --> 00:22:31,833 and the BASE foundation issues a statement. 458 00:22:31,833 --> 00:22:35,875 "What we have concluded is that St. Mary's of Zion Church 459 00:22:35,875 --> 00:22:40,083 in Aksum, Ethiopia is the resting place 460 00:22:40,083 --> 00:22:42,292 either of an incredible replica 461 00:22:42,292 --> 00:22:44,417 of the biblical Ark of the Covenant, 462 00:22:44,417 --> 00:22:48,708 or of the actual Ark of the Covenant itself. 463 00:22:49,708 --> 00:22:51,125 - There are individuals who believe 464 00:22:51,125 --> 00:22:52,708 the Ark might be elsewhere, 465 00:22:52,708 --> 00:22:55,625 but the only place that has consistently said 466 00:22:55,625 --> 00:22:57,958 for hundreds and hundreds of years that, 467 00:22:57,958 --> 00:23:02,792 "Yes, we have the Ark here," is Ethiopia in the town of Aksum. 468 00:23:06,917 --> 00:23:09,083 - According to the Book of Exodus, 469 00:23:09,083 --> 00:23:12,583 the Israelites might not have survived their many trials 470 00:23:12,583 --> 00:23:15,167 without help from the Ark of the Covenant. 471 00:23:15,167 --> 00:23:17,875 But it's not the only Ark featured in the Bible. 472 00:23:17,875 --> 00:23:20,708 Go back even earlier to the Book of Genesis 473 00:23:20,708 --> 00:23:22,125 and you'll find another, 474 00:23:22,125 --> 00:23:26,083 and this one is tasked with saving all of humanity. 475 00:23:27,208 --> 00:23:30,500 - The story of Noah's Ark from the Book of Genesis 476 00:23:30,500 --> 00:23:33,500 is one of the best known and most scrutinized 477 00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:34,792 tales in the Bible. 478 00:23:35,917 --> 00:23:40,750 - Noah's Ark is designed to save all of creation, 479 00:23:40,750 --> 00:23:42,750 where the Ark of the Covenant 480 00:23:42,750 --> 00:23:45,500 was designed specifically for the children of Israel. 481 00:23:45,500 --> 00:23:48,792 Noah's Ark, it benefits us all. 482 00:23:49,833 --> 00:23:51,958 - According to a common interpretation 483 00:23:51,958 --> 00:23:53,542 of biblical chronology, 484 00:23:53,542 --> 00:23:58,042 about 1,600 years or so after God creates Adam, 485 00:23:58,042 --> 00:23:59,542 God becomes angry 486 00:23:59,542 --> 00:24:02,042 about humankind's corrupt and wicked ways. 487 00:24:02,042 --> 00:24:04,375 So he decides to basically 488 00:24:04,375 --> 00:24:07,083 obliterate everyone and start over. 489 00:24:08,292 --> 00:24:11,458 - God chooses to spare a righteous man named Noah. 490 00:24:11,458 --> 00:24:13,750 He tells Noah to build an ark, 491 00:24:13,750 --> 00:24:16,583 which in this case is not a small golden box, 492 00:24:16,583 --> 00:24:19,958 but rather a giant wood vessel to float on water 493 00:24:19,958 --> 00:24:22,833 during an impending flood of epic proportions. 494 00:24:24,250 --> 00:24:26,625 - And God himself decides to provide 495 00:24:26,625 --> 00:24:28,875 detailed instructions and plans to Noah. 496 00:24:29,875 --> 00:24:33,000 He says it's going to be built using gopher wood. 497 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:36,167 It should have a door, a roof, three decks, 498 00:24:36,167 --> 00:24:38,333 and many, many rooms. 499 00:24:38,333 --> 00:24:41,625 God says, "The length of the Ark shall be 300 cubits, 500 00:24:41,625 --> 00:24:46,042 its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits." 501 00:24:46,042 --> 00:24:49,917 - This translates to the Ark being about 80 feet wide, 502 00:24:49,917 --> 00:24:53,958 50 feet tall, and a whopping 500 feet long, 503 00:24:53,958 --> 00:24:56,375 or about one and a half football fields. 504 00:24:57,375 --> 00:25:00,917 - Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their wives 505 00:25:00,917 --> 00:25:03,917 will be the only people allowed to board the Ark, 506 00:25:03,917 --> 00:25:07,375 but they'll be sharing it with a male and female 507 00:25:07,375 --> 00:25:10,250 of every kind of land animal and bird 508 00:25:10,250 --> 00:25:13,250 which God orders Noah to collect. 509 00:25:15,875 --> 00:25:17,708 Noah gathers all of the animals. 510 00:25:17,708 --> 00:25:21,917 By some estimates, there are as many as 6,800 of them, 511 00:25:21,917 --> 00:25:24,208 along with enough food for everyone 512 00:25:24,208 --> 00:25:26,292 to survive such a long flood. 513 00:25:26,292 --> 00:25:28,333 [thunder booming] 514 00:25:28,333 --> 00:25:31,750 - When the Ark is finally ready to go, the heavens open 515 00:25:31,750 --> 00:25:35,208 and it rains nonstop for 40 days and 40 nights, 516 00:25:35,208 --> 00:25:38,417 cleansing the Earth of sin and wickedness, 517 00:25:38,417 --> 00:25:41,833 and all living creatures that didn't end up on that boat. 518 00:25:43,208 --> 00:25:46,708 - [Dennis] When the rain stops, the Book of Genesis says 519 00:25:46,708 --> 00:25:49,708 that the Ark comes to rest in a place called 520 00:25:49,708 --> 00:25:51,792 the Mountains of Ararat. 521 00:25:52,958 --> 00:25:55,375 - So after the water subsided, 522 00:25:55,375 --> 00:25:56,875 Noah sends out all the animals 523 00:25:56,875 --> 00:25:59,708 and they started rebuilding civilization. 524 00:26:01,042 --> 00:26:03,833 - While we don't know the ancient location 525 00:26:03,833 --> 00:26:07,917 of the mountains of Ararat, there is a mountainous area 526 00:26:07,917 --> 00:26:11,167 between Armenia and Eastern Turkey where there is in fact 527 00:26:11,167 --> 00:26:14,042 a mountain currently named Mount Ararat. 528 00:26:15,042 --> 00:26:17,792 That place has been the focus of most of the searches, 529 00:26:17,792 --> 00:26:20,375 based on the assumption that the mountain's name 530 00:26:20,375 --> 00:26:23,375 goes all the way back to the biblical account. 531 00:26:23,375 --> 00:26:26,292 - [Dennis] For centuries, the search for Noah's Ark 532 00:26:26,292 --> 00:26:28,667 yields minimal results. 533 00:26:28,667 --> 00:26:30,333 - Unlike the Ark of the Covenant, 534 00:26:30,333 --> 00:26:34,167 it's harder to convince people that you found Noah's Ark. 535 00:26:34,167 --> 00:26:37,292 Many believe that the story just never happened. 536 00:26:37,292 --> 00:26:38,708 - [Dennis] But in 2000, 537 00:26:38,708 --> 00:26:42,000 a famous archeologist claims to have proof 538 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,875 that at least part of the story is real. 539 00:26:50,333 --> 00:26:52,125 - [Dennis] While the biblical story of Noah's Ark 540 00:26:52,125 --> 00:26:54,250 has been told for thousands of years, 541 00:26:54,250 --> 00:26:58,333 many people have questioned its historical accuracy. 542 00:26:58,333 --> 00:27:02,375 - It's hard to imagine that at any point in human history, 543 00:27:02,375 --> 00:27:05,542 a flood could've engulfed the entire Earth. 544 00:27:05,542 --> 00:27:09,667 With what we know about geology, it's just not feasible. 545 00:27:11,542 --> 00:27:14,458 - [Dennis] But in 1999, a famous explorer 546 00:27:14,458 --> 00:27:17,583 sets out to find solid evidence. 547 00:27:17,583 --> 00:27:19,792 - Robert Ballard is a former Navy officer 548 00:27:19,792 --> 00:27:23,458 and underwater archeologist who's become world famous 549 00:27:23,458 --> 00:27:27,583 because in 1985, he locates the wreck of the Titanic. 550 00:27:27,583 --> 00:27:29,875 - His resume is pretty impeccable. 551 00:27:29,875 --> 00:27:31,958 After he locates the Titanic find, 552 00:27:31,958 --> 00:27:34,958 he locates the Bismarck in 1989 553 00:27:34,958 --> 00:27:37,958 and the USS Yorktown in 1998. 554 00:27:37,958 --> 00:27:40,292 The following year, in 1999, 555 00:27:40,292 --> 00:27:43,417 he sets his sights on the story of Noah's Ark. 556 00:27:45,625 --> 00:27:47,375 - Ballard joins a team of archeologists 557 00:27:47,375 --> 00:27:50,875 that are studying the Black Sea, which borders Turkey 558 00:27:50,875 --> 00:27:53,667 and isn't too far from Mount Ararat. 559 00:27:53,667 --> 00:27:55,750 They have a theory that there might've been 560 00:27:55,750 --> 00:27:58,958 a massive ancient flood in this area, 561 00:27:58,958 --> 00:28:01,042 big enough that the people of the time 562 00:28:01,042 --> 00:28:04,917 would've considered it a world-ending flood, 563 00:28:04,917 --> 00:28:09,042 and that this could've inspired the story of Noah's Ark. 564 00:28:10,292 --> 00:28:12,583 - [Dennis] The team starts by analyzing 565 00:28:12,583 --> 00:28:15,208 layers of soil in the area 566 00:28:15,208 --> 00:28:19,000 and conducts sonar searches underwater. 567 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,792 - The sonar comes back with an incredible result. 568 00:28:21,792 --> 00:28:24,917 They find the remains of an ancient civilization, 569 00:28:24,917 --> 00:28:28,042 approximately 7,000 years old, 570 00:28:28,042 --> 00:28:31,333 who perished during a catastrophic flood. 571 00:28:32,375 --> 00:28:36,792 This is a large community found 300 feet down 572 00:28:36,792 --> 00:28:38,750 at the bottom of the Black Sea. 573 00:28:38,750 --> 00:28:40,542 But back then, they lived on the shore 574 00:28:40,542 --> 00:28:42,333 of a much smaller, freshwater lake. 575 00:28:43,458 --> 00:28:45,125 - 7,000 years ago, 576 00:28:45,125 --> 00:28:47,750 there are glaciers covering northern Europe. 577 00:28:47,750 --> 00:28:49,375 But as they rapidly melt, 578 00:28:49,375 --> 00:28:52,208 the Mediterranean sea rises incredibly quickly 579 00:28:52,208 --> 00:28:54,917 and pushes a channel through the Bosphorus, 580 00:28:54,917 --> 00:28:56,917 flooding the area with salt water 581 00:28:56,917 --> 00:29:00,250 at a rate of 200 times the volume of Niagara Falls. 582 00:29:00,250 --> 00:29:02,958 The flood waters are so fast moving 583 00:29:02,958 --> 00:29:05,167 that the people would've been pushed inland 584 00:29:05,167 --> 00:29:07,625 at a rate of over a mile per day. 585 00:29:07,625 --> 00:29:13,042 So by the end, around 100,000 square miles are inundated. 586 00:29:13,042 --> 00:29:16,750 - This is as far as the eye can see, and well beyond. 587 00:29:16,750 --> 00:29:18,708 To any ancient human in the area, 588 00:29:18,708 --> 00:29:21,875 this is certainly equivalent to the whole world flooding. 589 00:29:22,958 --> 00:29:24,542 - [Dennis] Their incredible findings 590 00:29:24,542 --> 00:29:28,167 are announced to the press in 2000. 591 00:29:28,167 --> 00:29:31,042 - They say, this could be Noah's Flood, 592 00:29:31,042 --> 00:29:33,417 or at least it's inspiration. 593 00:29:33,417 --> 00:29:35,625 They're quick to point out that they didn't find 594 00:29:35,625 --> 00:29:37,167 a massive boat or anything like that. 595 00:29:37,167 --> 00:29:39,833 But as far as a flood is concerned, 596 00:29:39,833 --> 00:29:41,667 a really, really big one 597 00:29:41,667 --> 00:29:44,042 happened right here near Mount Ararat, 598 00:29:44,042 --> 00:29:47,708 where the Bible places the story of the Ark. 599 00:29:47,708 --> 00:29:50,958 - And of course, the press runs wild with it. 600 00:29:50,958 --> 00:29:53,750 "Noah's flood found." 601 00:29:53,750 --> 00:29:55,833 It makes a major international stir. 602 00:29:57,167 --> 00:29:59,917 - [Dennis] But what about the actual Ark? 603 00:29:59,917 --> 00:30:02,375 - The announcement by Ballard's team in 2000 604 00:30:03,375 --> 00:30:07,000 completely reignites this desire to hunt for Noah's Ark, 605 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:09,750 because that's how you can actually prove 606 00:30:09,750 --> 00:30:12,833 the biblical story, find the boat. 607 00:30:12,833 --> 00:30:14,250 - [Dennis] One determined group 608 00:30:14,250 --> 00:30:18,083 of amateur archeologists from Hong Kong makes headlines 609 00:30:18,083 --> 00:30:22,375 when they go to Turkey in 2004 to look for it. 610 00:30:22,375 --> 00:30:26,250 - Noah's Ark Ministries International, or NAMI, 611 00:30:26,250 --> 00:30:29,042 convinces the Turkish government to issue them a permit 612 00:30:29,042 --> 00:30:31,583 and allow their team up to explore 613 00:30:31,583 --> 00:30:33,833 the summit of Mount Ararat. 614 00:30:33,833 --> 00:30:36,125 It turns out to be a very difficult climb. 615 00:30:36,125 --> 00:30:38,625 The weather is bad, but they do make it 616 00:30:38,625 --> 00:30:40,500 to nearly 14,000 feet, 617 00:30:40,500 --> 00:30:44,000 and at that altitude, they find a wooden object 618 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:46,208 they believe to be part of Noah's Ark. 619 00:30:47,125 --> 00:30:48,792 - The team wants to take a sample 620 00:30:48,792 --> 00:30:50,250 of the wooden object for testing, 621 00:30:50,250 --> 00:30:53,250 but bad weather makes it impossible. 622 00:30:53,250 --> 00:30:56,667 So they do the next best thing, they shoot video. 623 00:30:57,667 --> 00:31:00,042 - [Dennis] When the NAMI team gets back to Hong Kong, 624 00:31:00,042 --> 00:31:02,208 they hold a press conference 625 00:31:02,208 --> 00:31:05,208 announcing they found Noah's Ark. 626 00:31:06,083 --> 00:31:08,292 - This is incredible. 627 00:31:08,292 --> 00:31:12,000 For once, someone has actually managed to film the thing. 628 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,000 We should finally be able to figure this out. 629 00:31:16,042 --> 00:31:19,208 They show the video they shot, but it's blurry 630 00:31:19,208 --> 00:31:22,167 and nobody is really that impressed, 631 00:31:22,167 --> 00:31:24,833 except for one person, 632 00:31:24,833 --> 00:31:28,000 a Turkish climber named Ahmet Ertugrul. 633 00:31:29,542 --> 00:31:34,083 - [Dennis] In 2006, Ertugrul heads to Mount Ararat 634 00:31:34,083 --> 00:31:37,292 to bring back a piece of the Ark. 635 00:31:37,292 --> 00:31:40,875 - Along the way to the site, at about 13,000 feet, 636 00:31:40,875 --> 00:31:43,333 he sees a cave and decides to explore it. 637 00:31:46,292 --> 00:31:49,875 Ertugrul goes inside and claims to see 638 00:31:49,875 --> 00:31:52,250 this incredible wooden structure, 639 00:31:52,250 --> 00:31:55,083 which he believes must be Noah's Ark. 640 00:31:56,917 --> 00:31:59,875 The structure is made of wood that's so old 641 00:31:59,875 --> 00:32:01,958 that it's become petrified. 642 00:32:01,958 --> 00:32:04,625 Ertugrul cuts a chunk of this wood off 643 00:32:04,625 --> 00:32:07,167 and he sticks it in his pocket. 644 00:32:07,167 --> 00:32:09,417 Once Ertugrul comes down from the mountain, 645 00:32:09,417 --> 00:32:12,708 he calls the team and he tells them what he's found. 646 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:15,875 - NAMI sends the sample to a laboratory 647 00:32:15,875 --> 00:32:18,125 at the University of Hong Kong for testing. 648 00:32:18,125 --> 00:32:20,167 They have yet to release the results of this test, 649 00:32:20,167 --> 00:32:23,125 but whatever it found, it's enough to convince them 650 00:32:23,125 --> 00:32:24,583 to return to the site. 651 00:32:25,542 --> 00:32:28,167 - [Dennis] In 2007, the organization 652 00:32:28,167 --> 00:32:32,708 sends a new team of 10 researchers to Mount Ararat. 653 00:32:32,708 --> 00:32:34,583 - This is the moment of truth. 654 00:32:34,583 --> 00:32:37,375 The previous NAMI team found a piece of wood. 655 00:32:37,375 --> 00:32:39,042 Ertugrul located even more. 656 00:32:39,042 --> 00:32:41,750 They're convinced the Ark is up there. 657 00:32:41,750 --> 00:32:44,500 They just need to finally convince the world. 658 00:32:44,500 --> 00:32:50,083 [intense music] 659 00:32:50,083 --> 00:32:52,333 - After coming home empty handed, 660 00:32:52,333 --> 00:32:57,125 in 2007, a team from Noah's Ark Ministries International, 661 00:32:57,125 --> 00:33:00,042 or NAMI, heads to Mount Ararat, in Turkey, 662 00:33:00,042 --> 00:33:02,625 for a second attempt to find Noah's Ark. 663 00:33:04,042 --> 00:33:06,125 And this time, they're determined 664 00:33:06,125 --> 00:33:08,125 to bring back undisputed proof. 665 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:13,625 - The team first ascends to the same spot near 14,000 feet 666 00:33:13,625 --> 00:33:16,292 where they previously found the wooden beam, 667 00:33:16,292 --> 00:33:19,417 but when they reach the site, it's gone. 668 00:33:19,417 --> 00:33:21,708 An earthquake has leveled the entire area. 669 00:33:23,167 --> 00:33:27,250 Next, the team descends back to 13,000 feet 670 00:33:27,250 --> 00:33:30,417 where Ertugrul found the cave, and they find it too. 671 00:33:32,125 --> 00:33:34,542 - Several of the team members enter the cave 672 00:33:34,542 --> 00:33:37,583 and they claim to see exactly what Ertugrul described. 673 00:33:37,583 --> 00:33:40,167 There's this incredible wooden structure 674 00:33:40,167 --> 00:33:42,833 that has all these dark slabs of timber, 675 00:33:42,833 --> 00:33:46,958 and they measure it to be about 38 feet in length 676 00:33:46,958 --> 00:33:49,375 and more than eight feet in height. 677 00:33:49,375 --> 00:33:52,042 - The NAMI team not only take wood samples this time, 678 00:33:52,042 --> 00:33:53,708 but they also shoot extensive video 679 00:33:53,708 --> 00:33:56,333 of a much higher quality than the initial video. 680 00:33:57,333 --> 00:33:58,875 - [Dennis] When they return to Hong Kong, 681 00:33:58,875 --> 00:34:03,625 NAMI submits the wooden samples for radiocarbon dating. 682 00:34:03,625 --> 00:34:06,500 - The NAMI team once again holds a press conference 683 00:34:06,500 --> 00:34:09,208 and this time, people are blown away. 684 00:34:09,208 --> 00:34:11,375 The video is clear and compelling 685 00:34:11,375 --> 00:34:13,375 and the carbon dating places the wood 686 00:34:13,375 --> 00:34:16,542 at around 4,800 years old. 687 00:34:16,542 --> 00:34:20,333 They believe this is when Noah's biblical flood takes place. 688 00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:24,125 - [Dennis] But not everyone's convinced. 689 00:34:24,125 --> 00:34:26,042 - In 2008, Andrew Snelling, 690 00:34:26,042 --> 00:34:28,583 who's a scientist who reviews the results, 691 00:34:28,583 --> 00:34:32,042 tells the press that only one out of four of their samples 692 00:34:32,042 --> 00:34:34,208 dates back 4,800 years. 693 00:34:34,208 --> 00:34:36,083 The others are much newer. 694 00:34:37,167 --> 00:34:39,292 - This result causes many people to doubt 695 00:34:39,292 --> 00:34:41,708 their overall claim that this is indeed Noah's Ark. 696 00:34:42,833 --> 00:34:47,625 - [Dennis] Then in 2011, NAMI ultimately disbands. 697 00:34:47,625 --> 00:34:49,208 - At this point, the Turkish government 698 00:34:49,208 --> 00:34:52,292 has sort of discouraged these sorts of expeditions. 699 00:34:52,292 --> 00:34:55,250 They have declined to reveal these locations. 700 00:34:55,250 --> 00:34:56,667 And why would they do this? 701 00:34:56,667 --> 00:34:58,708 The general idea is that this has become 702 00:34:58,708 --> 00:35:03,000 just too much of a magnet for problematic treasure hunters. 703 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,250 - Ararat is a dangerous place. 704 00:35:05,250 --> 00:35:08,042 They probably don't want the bad press 705 00:35:08,042 --> 00:35:11,625 of anyone dying up there hunting for the Ark. 706 00:35:11,625 --> 00:35:15,875 And at this point, it's not as if it's an unexplored area. 707 00:35:15,875 --> 00:35:20,750 There are expeditions in 1948, in 1952, in 1955, 708 00:35:20,750 --> 00:35:22,917 in 1982, and 1983. 709 00:35:22,917 --> 00:35:24,667 The list goes on and on. 710 00:35:25,708 --> 00:35:28,500 - It's been pretty thoroughly searched. 711 00:35:28,500 --> 00:35:32,042 Whatever the NAMI team found, maybe we'll eventually get 712 00:35:32,042 --> 00:35:34,375 indisputable proof of what it is. 713 00:35:34,375 --> 00:35:36,500 Meanwhile, we probably don't need to go 714 00:35:36,500 --> 00:35:38,708 trekking around Mount Ararat anytime soon. 715 00:35:39,792 --> 00:35:43,458 - [Dennis] Is it possible the Ark could be somewhere else? 716 00:35:43,458 --> 00:35:45,500 - The Bible lists the final landing spot 717 00:35:45,500 --> 00:35:48,375 as, "the mountains of Ararat." 718 00:35:48,375 --> 00:35:51,208 But the truth is that the mountain in Turkey 719 00:35:51,208 --> 00:35:54,500 was named way, way after the fact. 720 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:58,458 It got its name from the Bible. 721 00:35:58,458 --> 00:36:01,375 It was named after the story, not the other way around. 722 00:36:01,375 --> 00:36:02,792 So there's no indication 723 00:36:02,792 --> 00:36:05,708 that this is the actual mountain from the Bible. 724 00:36:07,333 --> 00:36:09,875 - [Dennis] This opens up an endless array 725 00:36:09,875 --> 00:36:11,708 of new possibilities. 726 00:36:13,542 --> 00:36:15,708 - Amateur archeologist, Bob Cornuke, 727 00:36:15,708 --> 00:36:18,250 famous for his hunt for the Ark of the Covenant, 728 00:36:18,250 --> 00:36:20,458 also wants to find Noah's Ark. 729 00:36:21,667 --> 00:36:24,667 After quote, unquote, "finding the Ark of the Covenant" 730 00:36:24,667 --> 00:36:27,417 in the surprising location of Ethiopia, 731 00:36:27,417 --> 00:36:30,542 he comes to believe that there's a similar reason 732 00:36:30,542 --> 00:36:32,792 that no one has found Noah's Ark. 733 00:36:32,792 --> 00:36:35,875 They've been looking in the wrong place. 734 00:36:35,875 --> 00:36:41,250 [dramatic music] 735 00:36:41,250 --> 00:36:42,708 - [Dennis] For thousands of years, 736 00:36:42,708 --> 00:36:46,000 people hunting for Noah's Ark have focused exclusively 737 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,167 on Turkey's Mount Ararat. 738 00:36:48,167 --> 00:36:53,292 But in 2005, one researcher claims that the actual location 739 00:36:53,292 --> 00:36:56,042 is much farther away. 740 00:36:56,042 --> 00:36:57,542 - Bob Cornuke, 741 00:36:57,542 --> 00:36:59,458 who's already been to Mount Ararat like everyone else, 742 00:36:59,458 --> 00:37:01,500 he doesn't find the Ark. 743 00:37:01,500 --> 00:37:04,333 But then he meets a man named Ed Davis. 744 00:37:05,583 --> 00:37:09,208 - In 1943, Ed Davis is working for the Army Corps of Engineers 745 00:37:09,208 --> 00:37:11,667 in the Hamadan Province in Iran. 746 00:37:11,667 --> 00:37:13,875 According to Davis, the locals take him up 747 00:37:13,875 --> 00:37:17,375 to the top of a mountain, 13,000 feet up, 748 00:37:17,375 --> 00:37:19,167 and they show him what they believe to be 749 00:37:19,167 --> 00:37:20,792 the remains of Noah's Ark. 750 00:37:22,042 --> 00:37:23,500 - [Dennis] For confirmation, 751 00:37:23,500 --> 00:37:26,500 Cornuke looks at an ancient map of the area. 752 00:37:27,500 --> 00:37:29,625 - One of the earliest world maps is a huge, 753 00:37:29,625 --> 00:37:33,083 four foot by five foot, medieval, hand-drawn parchment 754 00:37:33,083 --> 00:37:35,875 called the Hereford Mappa Mundi 755 00:37:35,875 --> 00:37:38,375 and right in the center of it is Noah's Ark. 756 00:37:38,375 --> 00:37:40,208 It's an Hamadan, which is right next to 757 00:37:40,208 --> 00:37:42,542 where Ed Davis is stationed. 758 00:37:42,542 --> 00:37:45,083 - Cornuke finds a mountain near that area 759 00:37:45,083 --> 00:37:47,458 called Mount Suleyman, 760 00:37:47,458 --> 00:37:49,917 which is another name for King Solomon. 761 00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:54,333 This is unusual, because it's the only place anywhere nearby 762 00:37:54,333 --> 00:37:55,708 with a biblical name. 763 00:37:56,708 --> 00:37:59,708 - [Dennis] The evidence is enough to convince Cornuke 764 00:37:59,708 --> 00:38:04,250 to search the site himself in July of 2005. 765 00:38:04,250 --> 00:38:07,875 - He reaches 13,000 feet in elevation, 766 00:38:07,875 --> 00:38:11,333 right at the same spot where Ed Davis described the Ark, 767 00:38:11,333 --> 00:38:15,708 and nearby, Cornuke finds fossilized clams. 768 00:38:15,708 --> 00:38:18,042 Since they're way up here on the top of a mountain, 769 00:38:18,042 --> 00:38:19,750 he believes this is proof 770 00:38:19,750 --> 00:38:22,708 that there was a massive ancient flood in the area. 771 00:38:24,708 --> 00:38:27,458 - A little further up, he finds several rocks 772 00:38:27,458 --> 00:38:31,583 that are quote, "Uncannily beam-like in appearance." 773 00:38:33,292 --> 00:38:35,542 Cornuke believes that these rocks 774 00:38:35,542 --> 00:38:37,458 are actually petrified wood. 775 00:38:40,167 --> 00:38:41,042 - Good, good, good. 776 00:38:41,042 --> 00:38:42,375 Can you get it? - Yeah. 777 00:38:42,375 --> 00:38:43,667 - Oh, baby. 778 00:38:44,583 --> 00:38:46,542 That looks like a piece of wood, guys. 779 00:38:46,542 --> 00:38:48,917 - He also believes that he finds a worship shrine 780 00:38:48,917 --> 00:38:51,417 that's littered with wooden fragments. 781 00:38:52,708 --> 00:38:56,792 - [Dennis] Soon after, Cornuke has the rocks analyzed. 782 00:38:56,792 --> 00:38:59,375 - Sure enough, they are petrified wood. 783 00:38:59,375 --> 00:39:01,375 Unfortunately, because it's petrified, 784 00:39:01,375 --> 00:39:02,750 this wood can't be dated. 785 00:39:03,875 --> 00:39:05,583 - The other wood fragments he finds, 786 00:39:05,583 --> 00:39:07,833 he's able to have those dated. 787 00:39:07,833 --> 00:39:10,708 They turn out to be only 500 years old, 788 00:39:10,708 --> 00:39:13,375 so they can't possibly be from Noah's Ark. 789 00:39:14,708 --> 00:39:16,667 - Cornuke is not ready to give up. 790 00:39:16,667 --> 00:39:19,458 He believes that even though it's not that old, 791 00:39:19,458 --> 00:39:21,667 this wood is part of a structure 792 00:39:21,667 --> 00:39:25,542 that has been built and rebuilt across thousands of years, 793 00:39:25,542 --> 00:39:28,667 a place where visitors could come to pray and worship 794 00:39:28,667 --> 00:39:30,667 at the site of Noah's Ark. 795 00:39:32,208 --> 00:39:33,625 - He believes ancient people 796 00:39:33,625 --> 00:39:35,292 may have been commemorating this site 797 00:39:35,292 --> 00:39:38,792 basically ever since the Ark originally came to rest here. 798 00:39:41,333 --> 00:39:43,583 - The political situation in the area 799 00:39:43,583 --> 00:39:47,000 has prevented Cornuke from any further research, 800 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:51,167 but he hopes to one day be able to go back to Iran 801 00:39:51,167 --> 00:39:55,208 and pursue evidence on his theory of Noah's Ark. 802 00:39:55,208 --> 00:39:57,375 [tense music] 803 00:39:57,375 --> 00:40:01,375 - As for the big ancient flood that Noah might have endured, 804 00:40:01,375 --> 00:40:03,083 there's a good chance a version of that 805 00:40:03,083 --> 00:40:04,708 actually did take place. 806 00:40:05,708 --> 00:40:08,083 Studies have found evidence of massive ancient floods 807 00:40:08,083 --> 00:40:11,750 between five and 10,000 years old in India, 808 00:40:11,750 --> 00:40:14,458 various parts of Europe, and the Middle East, 809 00:40:14,458 --> 00:40:16,250 and various religions in all these areas 810 00:40:16,250 --> 00:40:17,833 tell their own flood stories. 811 00:40:19,583 --> 00:40:21,708 - So what's intriguing to me 812 00:40:21,708 --> 00:40:25,000 is that these flood myths all are from many cultures, 813 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:27,708 but they do share certain similarities. 814 00:40:27,708 --> 00:40:30,375 So it's possible that these tales 815 00:40:30,375 --> 00:40:32,708 are told through many generations, 816 00:40:32,708 --> 00:40:36,208 until they're finally written down in the book of Genesis 817 00:40:36,208 --> 00:40:41,875 and given a hero like Noah, or Gilgamesh, or Utnapishtim. 818 00:40:43,750 --> 00:40:46,208 The ancient experience of the Israelites 819 00:40:46,208 --> 00:40:47,917 with the Ark of the Covenant, 820 00:40:47,917 --> 00:40:50,917 and the story of Noah and his Ark, 821 00:40:50,917 --> 00:40:54,083 they weren't just made up out of thin air. 822 00:40:54,083 --> 00:40:57,542 They came from stories of real people, 823 00:40:57,542 --> 00:41:00,000 real objects, and real events. 824 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:03,708 Maybe they got embellished and changed along the way, 825 00:41:03,708 --> 00:41:05,750 but there is some truth at their core. 826 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:11,042 - Two powerful Arks, 827 00:41:11,042 --> 00:41:15,417 two stories of tragedy, triumph, and salvation. 828 00:41:15,417 --> 00:41:19,125 It's easy to see why these incredible biblical artifacts 829 00:41:19,125 --> 00:41:20,833 have inspired so many. 830 00:41:20,833 --> 00:41:24,417 Until both Arks are finally discovered one thing is certain, 831 00:41:24,417 --> 00:41:27,000 we will continue to look for them. 832 00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:30,583 I'm Dennis Quaid, and thank you for watching Holy Marvels.