'Church of the Ark' found on West Bank

[markomalley]

Archaeologists claimed yesterday to have uncovered one of the world's first churches, built on a site believed to have once housed the Ark of the Covenant.

The site, emerging from the soil in a few acres in the hills of the Israeli occupied West Bank, is richly decorated with brightly coloured mosaics and inscriptions referring to Jesus Christ.

Archaeologists look over a mosaic discovered at Shiloh

According to the team, led by Yitzhak Magen and Yevgeny Aharonovitch, the church dates to the late 4th century, making it one of Christianity's first formal places of worship.

"I can't say for sure at the moment that it's the very first church," said Mr Aharonovitch, 38, as he oversaw a team carrying out the final excavations before winter yesterday. "But it's certainly one of the first." He said the site contained an extremely unusual inscription which referred to itself, Shiloh, by name.

"That is very rare and shows early Christians treated this as an ancient, holy place," said Mr Aharonovitch. According to the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the two tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, was kept by the Israelites at Shiloh for several hundred years.

(snip)

David Rubin, a former mayor of Shiloh, said: "We believe that if they continue to dig they'll reach back to the time of the Tabernacle," referring to the portable place of worship where the Israelites housed the Ark.

Indiana Jones time, anybody?

On edit: From The Telegraph

Edited December 4, 2006 by markomalley

[Belle]

I watched a fascinating documentary on the ark yesterday. It was about the Ethiopian people who claim to have the ark and they also have lots of replicas of it.

Some physicists did an experiment with their own ark that they made and showed how the shifting during movement with the wool covering could have generated enough static electricity to shock the ever living crap out of someone.

Very interesting. I'm always fascinated by these discoveries. Thanks, Mark!

[Ron G.]

Please note:

It's about the ARK, not the ARKIE.

Just wanted to clarify that.

[rascal]

I SAW that one too Belle!

It is a whole Judean culture supposedly begun when the son of Soloman and a Ethiopian Queen established it.

They have a very fascinating story and traditions.

Supposedly the ark is there. Sure wish that we could take a look in that church.

[Tom Strange]

Please note:

It's about the ARK, not the ARKIE.

Just wanted to clarify that.

Thanks Ron... I was getting confused... (I am Texan you know)