Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:05,548 --> 00:00:08,841
The Bible is the world's
most popular book
2
00:00:08,884 --> 00:00:12,428
and the backbone
of its largest religion.
3
00:00:12,471 --> 00:00:15,597
Somehow, despite the efforts
of billions of people
4
00:00:15,641 --> 00:00:17,933
who have studied its text,
5
00:00:17,977 --> 00:00:21,270
these pages contain
several of mankind's
6
00:00:21,313 --> 00:00:23,439
greatest unsolved mysteries.
7
00:00:23,482 --> 00:00:25,941
Tonight,
we take on two of
8
00:00:25,985 --> 00:00:28,610
the Bible's
most famous legends...
9
00:00:28,654 --> 00:00:31,488
iconic treasures thought
to bring untold wealth
10
00:00:31,532 --> 00:00:34,825
to anyone who can
find them today:
11
00:00:34,869 --> 00:00:38,912
King Solomon's mines,
and the Ark of the Covenant.
12
00:00:38,956 --> 00:00:40,622
Do they actually exist?
13
00:00:40,666 --> 00:00:43,250
Can they still be found?
14
00:00:43,294 --> 00:00:46,670
Or have they already
been discovered?
15
00:00:46,714 --> 00:00:49,673
To find out,
we'll search through time
16
00:00:49,717 --> 00:00:51,300
and across continents,
17
00:00:51,343 --> 00:00:53,927
tracking
a surprising relationship
18
00:00:53,971 --> 00:00:56,430
between these two
priceless mysteries.
19
00:00:56,474 --> 00:01:02,019
And by the end, we may finally
pinpoint their true locations
20
00:01:02,063 --> 00:01:03,562
as we go in search of
21
00:01:03,606 --> 00:01:05,689
the secrets of the Bible.
22
00:01:15,701 --> 00:01:18,494
The Bible isn't just one book.
23
00:01:18,537 --> 00:01:20,996
Depending on which branch
of Christianity you follow,
24
00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:23,040
it's upwards
of 70 books,
25
00:01:23,084 --> 00:01:27,044
written by thousands of authors
over the course of 1,400 years.
26
00:01:27,088 --> 00:01:30,923
Its New Testament is famous
for the Gospels of Jesus,
27
00:01:30,966 --> 00:01:34,551
and its Old Testament features
the creation of the universe,
28
00:01:34,595 --> 00:01:36,095
the exodus from Egypt,
29
00:01:36,138 --> 00:01:39,056
and tales of the early kings
of the Israelites,
30
00:01:39,100 --> 00:01:43,894
the most successful of whom
was the famed King Solomon.
31
00:01:43,938 --> 00:01:47,773
According to the Bible,
Solomon was born in Jerusalem
32
00:01:47,817 --> 00:01:52,778
and ascended to power during
the 10th century B.C.E.
33
00:01:52,822 --> 00:01:55,364
As a leader,
he expanded Israel's trade
34
00:01:55,407 --> 00:01:58,700
and military strength,
founded numerous colonies,
35
00:01:58,744 --> 00:02:02,287
and built the first
Hebrew temple in Jerusalem.
36
00:02:02,331 --> 00:02:04,832
Solomon was famous
for his wisdom,
37
00:02:04,875 --> 00:02:06,792
said to be a gift from God.
38
00:02:06,836 --> 00:02:09,795
His proverbs feature
heavily in several religions,
39
00:02:09,839 --> 00:02:13,298
including Christianity,
Judaism, and Islam.
40
00:02:13,342 --> 00:02:16,718
But he was famous
for something else, too:
41
00:02:16,762 --> 00:02:18,303
his incredible wealth,
42
00:02:18,347 --> 00:02:21,890
thanks to the legendary
King Solomon's mines.
43
00:02:24,353 --> 00:02:28,147
For centuries, many have
speculated that Solomon
44
00:02:28,190 --> 00:02:32,776
had access to a near-unlimited
supply of precious metals
45
00:02:32,820 --> 00:02:36,238
from a secret underground mine.
46
00:02:36,282 --> 00:02:39,366
But unfortunately for those
would-be treasure hunters,
47
00:02:39,410 --> 00:02:42,953
its location has been
lost to history.
48
00:02:42,997 --> 00:02:44,371
The search for the mine
49
00:02:44,415 --> 00:02:46,790
has inspired several books
and movies,
50
00:02:46,834 --> 00:02:49,001
with tales
of Solomon's bounty
51
00:02:49,044 --> 00:02:53,672
hidden as far away
as the Americas.
52
00:02:53,716 --> 00:02:56,466
But in reality,
it's more likely to be found
53
00:02:56,510 --> 00:02:59,052
closer to Solomon's
biblical home:
54
00:02:59,096 --> 00:03:02,598
specifically, within the kingdom
of the Israelites.
55
00:03:04,226 --> 00:03:09,271
And here, less than 200 miles
south of Jerusalem,
56
00:03:09,315 --> 00:03:13,400
archaeologists Erez Ben-Yoseph
and Vanessa Workman
57
00:03:13,444 --> 00:03:16,820
believe they might have
uncovered the true location
58
00:03:16,864 --> 00:03:19,072
of King Solomon's mines.
59
00:03:30,002 --> 00:03:32,002
The Timna Valley
is rich in minerals
60
00:03:32,046 --> 00:03:35,714
that have been mined
since ancient times,
61
00:03:35,758 --> 00:03:38,175
but they're not the minerals
you might expect.
62
00:03:40,179 --> 00:03:42,012
While many people
believed that gold
63
00:03:42,056 --> 00:03:43,597
was the resource in Timna,
64
00:03:43,641 --> 00:03:46,475
what we see here is the remnants
of a vein of copper.
65
00:03:48,437 --> 00:03:51,438
In Israel and
all the neighboring areas,
66
00:03:51,482 --> 00:03:52,898
we don't have any gold.
67
00:03:52,942 --> 00:03:56,151
Gold as a metal is very soft.
68
00:03:56,195 --> 00:04:00,530
You can't use it for tools
and things like that.
69
00:04:00,574 --> 00:04:03,825
We know today that copper
was the most important resource,
70
00:04:03,869 --> 00:04:06,745
the most important metal
in the ancient world.
71
00:04:06,789 --> 00:04:09,039
It was made into objects
that were useful
72
00:04:09,083 --> 00:04:11,667
in both agriculture
and weaponry,
73
00:04:11,710 --> 00:04:14,920
and also to be used
to help build in the period.
74
00:04:14,964 --> 00:04:19,258
Erez's team of archaeologists
has been digging here in Timna
75
00:04:19,301 --> 00:04:21,176
for the past 10 years,
76
00:04:21,220 --> 00:04:24,054
trying to unravel
the truth behind
77
00:04:24,098 --> 00:04:27,474
who controlled
these colossal mines.
78
00:04:27,518 --> 00:04:29,643
Exploring the ancient mines
of Timna,
79
00:04:29,687 --> 00:04:32,479
we're asking questions
about who were conducting
80
00:04:32,523 --> 00:04:36,441
all of these mining operations,
which society in which periods,
81
00:04:36,485 --> 00:04:39,444
the chronology, the technology,
the culture,
82
00:04:39,488 --> 00:04:41,113
the trade connections,
83
00:04:41,156 --> 00:04:44,825
all of these aspects
of this huge operation.
84
00:04:44,868 --> 00:04:48,870
Archaeologists have long
debated which kingdom owned
85
00:04:48,914 --> 00:04:50,998
and operated these mines,
86
00:04:51,041 --> 00:04:54,251
with most agreeing that it
couldn't have been Solomon's.
87
00:04:56,005 --> 00:04:59,089
Previous activity in Timna
dated this major period
88
00:04:59,133 --> 00:05:03,719
to the Egyptian dynasties
in the 13th century B.C.E.
89
00:05:03,762 --> 00:05:09,141
But is it possible the experts
have been wrong all along?
90
00:05:09,184 --> 00:05:12,019
Written evidence provides
an interesting link
91
00:05:12,062 --> 00:05:15,397
between King Solomon and copper.
92
00:05:15,441 --> 00:05:17,316
According
to the biblical text,
93
00:05:17,359 --> 00:05:21,695
copper was used to furnish and
help build Solomon's temple.
94
00:05:21,739 --> 00:05:25,115
They were building
the pillars of the temple,
95
00:05:25,159 --> 00:05:27,534
and they were covering the walls
and other things in the temple
96
00:05:27,578 --> 00:05:30,620
with vast quantities of copper.
97
00:05:30,664 --> 00:05:34,708
In the time of King Solomon,
whoever had copper had power.
98
00:05:34,752 --> 00:05:36,501
It's like oil of today.
99
00:05:36,545 --> 00:05:39,838
And these mines were one
of the sources of that power.
100
00:05:41,258 --> 00:05:43,550
Based on extensive
biblical evidence,
101
00:05:43,594 --> 00:05:46,845
Erez was convinced
that Solomon had a copper mine
102
00:05:46,889 --> 00:05:48,513
in his kingdom.
103
00:05:48,557 --> 00:05:52,059
But now he had to prove it.
104
00:05:52,102 --> 00:05:56,730
Step one was to analyze
the tools the miners used.
105
00:05:56,774 --> 00:05:59,316
You can see very nicely
the chisel marks.
106
00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:01,276
What you can see here
is evidence
107
00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,904
of mining underground
with metal tools.
108
00:06:03,947 --> 00:06:07,407
And these chisel marks
are 3,000 years old.
109
00:06:08,786 --> 00:06:10,869
Unfortunately,
both the Egyptians
110
00:06:10,913 --> 00:06:14,456
and the Israelites
used similar tools.
111
00:06:14,500 --> 00:06:18,752
So while these marks could mean
this was Solomon's mine,
112
00:06:18,796 --> 00:06:21,380
they still weren't
definitive proof.
113
00:06:21,423 --> 00:06:25,467
But Erez and Vanessa
had one more place to look.
114
00:06:27,388 --> 00:06:29,805
The mining tunnels
were only one part
115
00:06:29,848 --> 00:06:32,891
of this massive
ancient operation.
116
00:06:32,935 --> 00:06:35,185
Our real information
for understanding
117
00:06:35,229 --> 00:06:38,522
the activity of this period
comes from the smelting camps.
118
00:06:42,236 --> 00:06:44,986
After it was mined,
the extracted copper
119
00:06:45,030 --> 00:06:48,198
then had to go through
a smelting process,
120
00:06:48,242 --> 00:06:50,784
which involves
heating the raw ore
121
00:06:50,828 --> 00:06:53,245
to extract
the base metal within.
122
00:06:54,832 --> 00:06:56,456
Once the copper is removed,
123
00:06:56,500 --> 00:06:58,667
the excess rock is discarded
124
00:06:58,710 --> 00:07:01,837
as a hardened black material
called slag.
125
00:07:03,090 --> 00:07:05,382
In order to find
the smelting camps,
126
00:07:05,426 --> 00:07:09,511
Erez and Vanessa searched
the Timna Valley for slag.
127
00:07:09,555 --> 00:07:11,096
Soon enough,
128
00:07:11,140 --> 00:07:14,599
they found precisely
what they were looking for.
129
00:07:14,643 --> 00:07:16,017
On this hill itself
130
00:07:16,061 --> 00:07:19,271
we have more than 1,000 tons
of copper slag,
131
00:07:19,314 --> 00:07:23,233
which tells us
about a hundred tons of copper
132
00:07:23,277 --> 00:07:24,776
produced over about a century.
133
00:07:28,699 --> 00:07:31,450
This is one of the largest
copper smelting camps
134
00:07:31,493 --> 00:07:34,035
of ancient times.
135
00:07:34,079 --> 00:07:37,205
Once they found it,
the archaeologists next tried
136
00:07:37,249 --> 00:07:39,624
to determine its layout.
137
00:07:39,668 --> 00:07:41,543
Because copper was one
of the most valuable resources
138
00:07:41,587 --> 00:07:44,045
in the ancient world,
it had to be protected.
139
00:07:44,089 --> 00:07:46,548
This means that they built
a defense system
140
00:07:46,592 --> 00:07:48,967
around the smelting camps
to keep people out.
141
00:07:49,011 --> 00:07:51,303
There was only one access
point into the site:
142
00:07:51,346 --> 00:07:54,556
at the pathway that leads
up to the top.
143
00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:56,850
It still
wasn't enough evidence
144
00:07:56,894 --> 00:07:59,186
to prove who built the camp.
145
00:07:59,229 --> 00:08:02,063
But the picture of
this ancient mining operation
146
00:08:02,107 --> 00:08:05,066
was definitely getting clearer.
147
00:08:05,110 --> 00:08:07,944
The wall and the location
of the site are indeed evidence
148
00:08:07,988 --> 00:08:11,406
of the need of
defense and protection
149
00:08:11,450 --> 00:08:13,283
of this valuable material.
150
00:08:13,327 --> 00:08:16,578
But also they protected
the secret
151
00:08:16,622 --> 00:08:18,747
of making stone into metal.
152
00:08:20,709 --> 00:08:23,877
The knowledge itself
was a commodity.
153
00:08:23,921 --> 00:08:26,963
The technology used in the
smelting camps 3,000 years ago
154
00:08:27,007 --> 00:08:28,882
is impressive for us today,
155
00:08:28,926 --> 00:08:30,592
and despite years
and years of research,
156
00:08:30,636 --> 00:08:33,345
we're still piecing together
exactly what this
157
00:08:33,388 --> 00:08:34,888
real ancient recipe was,
158
00:08:34,932 --> 00:08:38,058
which at that time
was considered magic.
159
00:08:38,101 --> 00:08:42,020
Clearly, the copper industry
in Timna was well organized.
160
00:08:42,064 --> 00:08:43,980
But the question remains:
161
00:08:44,024 --> 00:08:46,608
Who was in charge
of its organization?
162
00:08:46,652 --> 00:08:48,109
Was it the Egyptians,
163
00:08:48,153 --> 00:08:50,487
as historians
have long believed?
164
00:08:50,531 --> 00:08:53,740
Or could it possibly have been
King Solomon?
165
00:08:55,661 --> 00:08:59,037
Just a few months ago,
Erez and Vanessa
166
00:08:59,081 --> 00:09:00,914
made an incredible discovery
167
00:09:00,958 --> 00:09:05,126
amongst the tons of leftover
slag the miners left behind.
168
00:09:05,170 --> 00:09:09,297
With the date. That's amazing
I think it's the first one.
169
00:09:09,341 --> 00:09:10,549
Yeah.
170
00:09:10,592 --> 00:09:12,801
I need a special bag
over here.
171
00:09:12,844 --> 00:09:16,054
This new information could
blow the long-sought secret
172
00:09:16,098 --> 00:09:18,848
of King Solomon's mines
wide open.
173
00:09:18,892 --> 00:09:20,850
It's crazy,
but this might be the event
174
00:09:20,894 --> 00:09:22,185
that we are looking for.
175
00:09:25,774 --> 00:09:29,109
For centuries,
treasure-seekers have pursued
176
00:09:29,152 --> 00:09:32,320
the famed King Solomon's mines.
177
00:09:32,364 --> 00:09:35,198
But as it turns out,
if they exist,
178
00:09:35,242 --> 00:09:38,118
they may have been
hiding in plain sight,
179
00:09:38,161 --> 00:09:42,163
in a location that's been
misunderstood for decades.
180
00:09:42,207 --> 00:09:43,623
It's amazing.
181
00:09:43,667 --> 00:09:45,917
This area is full of stuff.
182
00:09:45,961 --> 00:09:49,129
Just a few months ago,
in Israel's Timna Valley,
183
00:09:49,172 --> 00:09:52,507
archaeologists made
a shocking discovery
184
00:09:52,551 --> 00:09:55,927
while excavating the region's
ancient copper mines.
185
00:09:55,971 --> 00:09:58,263
This is rare.
186
00:09:58,307 --> 00:10:01,349
It's a finding that
could rewrite the history
187
00:10:01,393 --> 00:10:03,226
of this well-known legend.
188
00:10:06,398 --> 00:10:09,149
When Dr. Erez Ben-Yosef
first arrived
189
00:10:09,192 --> 00:10:11,484
to the Timna Valley
10 years ago,
190
00:10:11,528 --> 00:10:14,946
the area's copper mines
were already well-known.
191
00:10:14,990 --> 00:10:18,742
In fact, many believed there
was nothing new to be found.
192
00:10:18,785 --> 00:10:20,243
It was commonly accepted
193
00:10:20,287 --> 00:10:22,746
that due to the mines'
sophistication,
194
00:10:22,789 --> 00:10:25,248
they must have belonged
to ancient Egypt.
195
00:10:26,918 --> 00:10:30,587
Unwilling to accept that
as a foregone conclusion,
196
00:10:30,631 --> 00:10:33,506
Dr. Ben-Yosef's team
kept digging,
197
00:10:33,550 --> 00:10:37,427
and what they discovered
was phenomenal.
198
00:10:37,471 --> 00:10:39,638
They discovered
hundreds of remnants
199
00:10:39,681 --> 00:10:41,306
of the ancient copper workers:
200
00:10:41,350 --> 00:10:43,767
seeds and bones
from their meals,
201
00:10:43,810 --> 00:10:45,602
and even parts
of their clothing,
202
00:10:45,646 --> 00:10:50,273
all perfectly preserved,
due to the area's dry climate.
203
00:10:50,317 --> 00:10:53,318
These items were
so well-preserved, in fact,
204
00:10:53,362 --> 00:10:55,695
that they could still be
carbon-dated.
205
00:10:55,739 --> 00:10:59,074
The mystery of when these mines
were in operation,
206
00:10:59,117 --> 00:11:01,117
and therefore
who controlled them,
207
00:11:01,161 --> 00:11:02,952
was about to be solved.
208
00:11:06,166 --> 00:11:09,417
The team's findings were sent
to a lab to determine
209
00:11:09,461 --> 00:11:11,878
if these mines truly
were Egyptian,
210
00:11:11,922 --> 00:11:15,882
or if they could have
belonged to someone else.
211
00:11:15,926 --> 00:11:18,843
And only when the date
came back from the lab,
212
00:11:18,887 --> 00:11:22,097
we were amazed,
'cause not a single date
213
00:11:22,140 --> 00:11:25,016
fit to the New Kingdom of Egypt.
214
00:11:25,060 --> 00:11:27,477
So of course we sent more
and more samples,
215
00:11:27,521 --> 00:11:30,563
and the results are clear,
all the dates concentrated
216
00:11:30,607 --> 00:11:32,816
around the 10th century B.C.E.
217
00:11:32,859 --> 00:11:35,068
The most intense
time of production here
218
00:11:35,112 --> 00:11:36,820
was at the time
of King Solomon.
219
00:11:39,741 --> 00:11:41,741
For decades, we have wondered
220
00:11:41,785 --> 00:11:43,702
what could have been
the source of wealth
221
00:11:43,745 --> 00:11:45,745
of this small kingdom
in Jerusalem
222
00:11:45,789 --> 00:11:48,915
that controlled a huge area,
according to the Hebrew Bible.
223
00:11:48,959 --> 00:11:50,542
And now with this discovery,
224
00:11:50,585 --> 00:11:53,461
we suddenly have an amazing
source of wealth
225
00:11:53,505 --> 00:11:56,923
that can explain
the power of King Solomon.
226
00:11:58,927 --> 00:12:01,845
This is an incredible find
that will force people
227
00:12:01,888 --> 00:12:04,055
to rethink history.
228
00:12:04,099 --> 00:12:07,934
To me, it's clear that if there
were mines of King Solomon,
229
00:12:07,978 --> 00:12:10,562
they were of copper,
and they were here.
230
00:12:15,235 --> 00:12:17,694
If these Timna Valley
copper mines
231
00:12:17,738 --> 00:12:20,780
did in fact belong
to King Solomon,
232
00:12:20,824 --> 00:12:24,409
it goes a long way toward
proving the Bible's claims
233
00:12:24,453 --> 00:12:27,370
of his unimaginable wealth.
234
00:12:27,414 --> 00:12:30,915
But one crucial detail
is still missing:
235
00:12:30,959 --> 00:12:33,084
Where did his gold come from?
236
00:12:34,546 --> 00:12:37,672
I Kings, chapter 10,
of the Bible states...
237
00:12:45,182 --> 00:12:47,307
Converted into
today's measurements,
238
00:12:47,350 --> 00:12:50,435
that's approximately
25 tons of gold
239
00:12:50,479 --> 00:12:54,105
for each year
of his 40-year reign.
240
00:12:54,149 --> 00:12:56,024
To put that into perspective,
241
00:12:56,067 --> 00:12:58,318
the Bible says that
King Solomon had more than
242
00:12:58,361 --> 00:13:01,988
double the amount of the U.S.
gold bullion deposits
243
00:13:02,032 --> 00:13:05,241
currently held in
the New York Federal Reserve.
244
00:13:07,287 --> 00:13:09,537
Nowhere within the kingdom
of the Israelites
245
00:13:09,581 --> 00:13:13,082
can that incredible
volume of gold be found.
246
00:13:13,126 --> 00:13:16,711
Therefore, we can only
reach one conclusion:
247
00:13:16,755 --> 00:13:19,923
While the kingdom may have had
a lucrative copper mine
248
00:13:19,966 --> 00:13:22,175
within its territory,
249
00:13:22,219 --> 00:13:25,220
the gold must have been
brought in from outside.
250
00:13:27,891 --> 00:13:30,475
Fortunately,
the Bible gives us a clue
251
00:13:30,519 --> 00:13:32,435
about who might have
transported it,
252
00:13:32,479 --> 00:13:33,978
and where it originated.
253
00:13:37,651 --> 00:13:40,610
According to the Bible,
Solomon expanded his kingdom
254
00:13:40,654 --> 00:13:44,656
from the southern border
with Egypt all the way to Syria,
255
00:13:44,699 --> 00:13:46,950
putting him in a position
to control merchants
256
00:13:46,993 --> 00:13:51,955
and freight carriers between
Africa, Europe, and Asia.
257
00:13:51,998 --> 00:13:55,583
But only one nearby group
had ships large enough
258
00:13:55,627 --> 00:13:58,878
to carry massive quantities
of gold:
259
00:13:58,922 --> 00:14:00,213
the Phoenicians.
260
00:14:04,594 --> 00:14:07,011
The Bible describes
a clear connection
261
00:14:07,055 --> 00:14:10,515
between Solomon and
the Phoenician King Hiram.
262
00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:14,978
Solomon gave the Phoenicians
grain supplies, and in return,
263
00:14:15,021 --> 00:14:17,397
according to
the Book of Kings...
264
00:14:25,740 --> 00:14:29,075
Is it possible that
if we head to Ophir,
265
00:14:29,119 --> 00:14:32,704
we might find the source
of Solomon's gold?
266
00:14:32,747 --> 00:14:35,748
Unfortunately,
the Bible doesn't tell us
267
00:14:35,792 --> 00:14:38,877
exactly where Ophir was.
268
00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,504
Historians have speculated
that it could have been
269
00:14:41,548 --> 00:14:45,466
somewhere in the Middle East,
Africa, or Asia,
270
00:14:45,510 --> 00:14:49,053
but its exact location
has remained a mystery...
271
00:14:50,557 --> 00:14:53,182
A mystery that may have
recently been solved
272
00:14:53,226 --> 00:14:57,562
by a historian in the Tigray
region of Ethiopia.
273
00:14:57,606 --> 00:15:01,232
In the Bible,
the land of Ophir
274
00:15:01,276 --> 00:15:03,902
is known as "the land of gold".
275
00:15:03,945 --> 00:15:07,906
Ethiopia means, "The land
of the yellowish gold."
276
00:15:07,949 --> 00:15:12,744
And the majority of gold
is found here in Tigray.
277
00:15:12,787 --> 00:15:16,873
We think that gold
from the Bible is from here.
278
00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:21,336
Situated in the far north
of the country,
279
00:15:21,379 --> 00:15:24,964
Ethiopia's Tigray region
is a very likely candidate
280
00:15:25,008 --> 00:15:27,300
for the location of Ophir.
281
00:15:27,344 --> 00:15:30,678
Because not only is
the land rich in gold,
282
00:15:30,722 --> 00:15:34,223
but it also has a surprising
connection to King Solomon.
283
00:15:35,727 --> 00:15:37,393
At the time of Solomon's reign,
284
00:15:37,437 --> 00:15:39,437
this area was possibly
controlled
285
00:15:39,481 --> 00:15:42,440
by another famous
biblical figure:
286
00:15:42,484 --> 00:15:43,983
the queen of Sheba.
287
00:15:46,404 --> 00:15:49,072
And what's more,
according to the Bible,
288
00:15:49,115 --> 00:15:53,701
she and Solomon were quite close
with one another.
289
00:15:53,745 --> 00:15:55,787
The Second Book of Chronicles
states
290
00:15:55,830 --> 00:15:57,580
that early in Solomon's reign,
291
00:15:57,624 --> 00:16:01,876
the queen visited Jerusalem
to seek out his famous wisdom.
292
00:16:03,338 --> 00:16:05,880
And she didn't
come empty-handed.
293
00:16:05,924 --> 00:16:09,384
Her gifts included
120 talents of gold,
294
00:16:09,427 --> 00:16:13,346
around 4 tons of it,
from her kingdom's mines.
295
00:16:15,058 --> 00:16:17,809
The queen and Solomon had
a love affair
296
00:16:17,852 --> 00:16:20,144
resulting in the birth of a son,
297
00:16:21,481 --> 00:16:24,148
forever uniting
these two kingdoms.
298
00:16:27,696 --> 00:16:30,113
But the gold
Sheba brought to Solomon
299
00:16:30,156 --> 00:16:33,741
was just the tip of the iceberg.
300
00:16:33,785 --> 00:16:35,618
She may have possessed
some of the oldest
301
00:16:35,662 --> 00:16:39,747
and most famous gold mines
in recorded history.
302
00:16:39,791 --> 00:16:43,960
There's a chance those
gold reserves still exist today,
303
00:16:44,004 --> 00:16:46,671
in a remote area
just 40 miles
304
00:16:46,715 --> 00:16:50,591
from where Sheba's palace
once stood.
305
00:16:50,635 --> 00:16:54,220
All this land where I am
standing is full of gold,
306
00:16:54,264 --> 00:16:57,181
and the search continues today.
307
00:17:00,311 --> 00:17:03,021
While the exact location
of the ancient gold mines
308
00:17:03,064 --> 00:17:05,064
has remained a mystery,
309
00:17:05,108 --> 00:17:08,109
there are still trace deposits
at the surface.
310
00:17:09,696 --> 00:17:12,196
To find them,
locals extract earth
311
00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:13,823
from the banks of the river,
312
00:17:13,867 --> 00:17:17,201
filling their buckets
with sediment.
313
00:17:17,245 --> 00:17:20,913
Then they take that sediment
down to the water for sifting.
314
00:17:26,004 --> 00:17:28,212
If we're close enough
to the potential source
315
00:17:28,256 --> 00:17:32,425
of the queen of Sheba's gold,
the proof will be in this pan.
316
00:17:33,845 --> 00:17:35,011
Oh, wow, look at that!
317
00:17:40,518 --> 00:17:44,479
The search for King Solomon's
mines has taken us out of Israel
318
00:17:44,522 --> 00:17:47,482
and into northern Ethiopia.
319
00:17:47,525 --> 00:17:50,109
There's a chance that
this could be the source
320
00:17:50,153 --> 00:17:52,278
of King Solomon's gold,
321
00:17:52,322 --> 00:17:55,323
from ancient mines
controlled by his closest ally,
322
00:17:55,366 --> 00:17:57,158
the queen of Sheba.
323
00:18:03,958 --> 00:18:07,085
By panning for trace deposits
of gold near the surface,
324
00:18:07,128 --> 00:18:10,338
locals in this area
hope to pinpoint
325
00:18:10,381 --> 00:18:12,215
the source of
Sheba's treasure...
326
00:18:16,930 --> 00:18:20,098
and it appears
they're on the right track.
327
00:18:20,141 --> 00:18:21,432
Look at that.
328
00:18:23,436 --> 00:18:24,811
We found gold.
329
00:18:30,568 --> 00:18:33,319
With this much gold
close to the surface,
330
00:18:33,363 --> 00:18:37,198
there is almost certainly
a much larger vein nearby.
331
00:18:38,785 --> 00:18:41,911
But finding it requires
a major excavation.
332
00:18:50,380 --> 00:18:52,672
These stairs lead us
to a network
333
00:18:52,715 --> 00:18:56,717
of hidden tunnels
deep underground.
334
00:18:58,972 --> 00:19:01,639
These tunnels are located
near a high concentration
335
00:19:01,683 --> 00:19:03,766
of surface gold deposits,
336
00:19:03,810 --> 00:19:06,435
and date to what
the Bible describes as
337
00:19:06,479 --> 00:19:09,438
the time of Solomon and
the queen of Sheba.
338
00:19:09,482 --> 00:19:12,859
They have only recently
been rediscovered,
339
00:19:12,902 --> 00:19:16,237
and the careful work of
exploring them has barely begun.
340
00:19:18,992 --> 00:19:21,534
Some historians,
including Sisay,
341
00:19:21,578 --> 00:19:26,873
believe they could lead
directly into Sheba's mines.
342
00:19:26,916 --> 00:19:31,002
If so, we may be standing
closer than ever before
343
00:19:31,045 --> 00:19:33,504
to the source
of King Solomon's gold.
344
00:19:40,013 --> 00:19:43,264
With excavation continuing
in Ethiopia,
345
00:19:43,308 --> 00:19:45,600
one of the Bible's
greatest mysteries,
346
00:19:45,643 --> 00:19:48,394
the true location
of King Solomon's mines,
347
00:19:48,438 --> 00:19:52,023
seems on the verge
of being solved.
348
00:19:52,066 --> 00:19:55,735
But Solomon left behind
one other incredible treasure
349
00:19:55,778 --> 00:19:57,612
that may be even more
valuable
350
00:19:57,655 --> 00:20:00,406
than all of his,
or Sheba's, gold.
351
00:20:00,450 --> 00:20:02,617
At the height of his power,
352
00:20:02,660 --> 00:20:05,286
Solomon's crowning achievement
was the construction
353
00:20:05,330 --> 00:20:08,080
of the first Hebrew temple.
354
00:20:08,124 --> 00:20:11,834
He built it here,
on Jerusalem's Temple Mount,
355
00:20:11,878 --> 00:20:13,878
where the Dome of the Rock
sits today.
356
00:20:15,673 --> 00:20:18,841
In Solomon's time,
it looked like this.
357
00:20:18,885 --> 00:20:21,427
One of the greatest
buildings of the era,
358
00:20:21,471 --> 00:20:23,721
adorned in copper and gold,
359
00:20:23,765 --> 00:20:27,475
a majestic structure designed
for an important purpose.
360
00:20:29,187 --> 00:20:32,521
This is where Solomon kept
the most powerful object
361
00:20:32,565 --> 00:20:34,482
the Israelites possessed:
362
00:20:34,525 --> 00:20:36,108
the Ark of the Covenant.
363
00:20:39,489 --> 00:20:42,448
Much like the location
of King Solomon's mines,
364
00:20:42,492 --> 00:20:46,535
this iconic biblical
artifact has long been lost.
365
00:20:46,579 --> 00:20:48,955
But a new theory
is emerging,
366
00:20:48,998 --> 00:20:53,292
one that suggests the mines,
the gold, the queen of Sheba,
367
00:20:53,336 --> 00:20:56,128
and the Ark of the Covenant
might be connected,
368
00:20:56,172 --> 00:20:59,173
and this connection
could potentially lead us
369
00:20:59,217 --> 00:21:01,842
to the Ark's
present-day location.
370
00:21:05,306 --> 00:21:08,140
According to the Bible's
Book of Exodus,
371
00:21:08,184 --> 00:21:11,894
the Ark of the Covenant
was built to house the tablets
372
00:21:11,938 --> 00:21:13,312
of the Ten Commandments.
373
00:21:16,109 --> 00:21:21,195
It was made of acacia wood,
two and a half cubits long,
374
00:21:21,239 --> 00:21:25,157
one and a half wide,
and one and a half high,
375
00:21:25,201 --> 00:21:30,621
or in today's measurements,
52 inches by 31 by 31.
376
00:21:30,665 --> 00:21:34,417
The entire chest was plated
with gold, inside and out.
377
00:21:34,460 --> 00:21:37,503
Four gold rings were
attached to its corners,
378
00:21:37,547 --> 00:21:39,755
where gold-plated wood poles
379
00:21:39,799 --> 00:21:42,633
could be inserted
to carry the Ark.
380
00:21:42,677 --> 00:21:48,222
The lid was also gold,
adorned with two winged cherubs.
381
00:21:48,266 --> 00:21:50,850
But it's not just the precious
metals and craftsmanship
382
00:21:50,893 --> 00:21:52,852
that make it valuable,
383
00:21:52,895 --> 00:21:58,441
because the Ark was also
thought to be a powerful weapon.
384
00:21:58,484 --> 00:22:00,609
According to one biblical story,
385
00:22:00,653 --> 00:22:04,322
the Ark was once stolen by
a tribe called the Philistines,
386
00:22:04,365 --> 00:22:07,742
who were immediately
afflicted by misfortunes,
387
00:22:07,785 --> 00:22:13,080
including tumors, boils,
and a plague of mice.
388
00:22:13,124 --> 00:22:15,875
Their torment only stopped
389
00:22:15,918 --> 00:22:18,419
once they returned the Ark
to the Israelites.
390
00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:24,258
Eventually, King David
brought it to Jerusalem,
391
00:22:24,302 --> 00:22:30,222
where his son, King Solomon,
installed it in the temple.
392
00:22:30,266 --> 00:22:32,475
From there, the mystery begins.
393
00:22:37,106 --> 00:22:40,149
The first Hebrew temple
was destroyed in a war
394
00:22:40,193 --> 00:22:45,279
with the Babylonians
2,700 years ago,
395
00:22:45,323 --> 00:22:49,450
but there's no record
of the Ark among the spoils.
396
00:22:49,494 --> 00:22:52,411
It's unusual for such
a valuable treasure
397
00:22:52,455 --> 00:22:55,623
to go completely
unaccounted for.
398
00:22:55,666 --> 00:22:59,085
The question is,
could the Ark have been moved
399
00:22:59,128 --> 00:23:01,087
before the Babylonians arrived?
400
00:23:01,130 --> 00:23:04,298
If so, where?
And when?
401
00:23:06,636 --> 00:23:11,389
One large group of believers
over 1,200 miles from Jerusalem
402
00:23:11,432 --> 00:23:15,518
is convinced that the Ark
ended up in their territory,
403
00:23:15,561 --> 00:23:21,190
perhaps even during
King Solomon's reign.
404
00:23:21,234 --> 00:23:25,111
It may be an unlikely story
until you realize
405
00:23:25,154 --> 00:23:28,280
they live in a place
we've already visited.
406
00:23:34,872 --> 00:23:37,665
Ever since the destruction
of King Solomon's
407
00:23:37,708 --> 00:23:39,333
famed temple in Jerusalem,
408
00:23:39,377 --> 00:23:42,336
its greatest treasure,
the Ark of the Covenant,
409
00:23:42,380 --> 00:23:43,963
has been missing.
410
00:23:44,006 --> 00:23:47,216
But some believe that the Ark
may have been moved
411
00:23:47,260 --> 00:23:49,593
long before the temple fell
412
00:23:49,637 --> 00:23:53,639
to the home of one of Solomon's
most valuable allies:
413
00:23:53,683 --> 00:23:55,391
the queen of Sheba.
414
00:23:57,979 --> 00:24:01,147
According to the
Ethiopian Orthodox Church,
415
00:24:01,190 --> 00:24:04,942
when Solomon and Sheba's son
Menelik came of age,
416
00:24:04,986 --> 00:24:08,195
he returned to Jerusalem
to visit his father.
417
00:24:09,991 --> 00:24:13,075
Solomon tried
to persuade Menelik to stay
418
00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:15,077
and become his heir,
419
00:24:15,121 --> 00:24:17,496
but the young prince
returned to Ethiopia
420
00:24:17,540 --> 00:24:19,623
as his mother's heir
instead.
421
00:24:22,211 --> 00:24:24,462
When he arrived back home,
422
00:24:24,505 --> 00:24:27,339
Menelik made
a shocking discovery.
423
00:24:27,383 --> 00:24:30,759
There amongst his possessions
was the Ark of the Covenant,
424
00:24:30,803 --> 00:24:33,137
which, unbeknownst to him,
425
00:24:33,181 --> 00:24:35,389
had been secretly taken
from Israel
426
00:24:35,433 --> 00:24:38,893
by members of his entourage.
427
00:24:38,936 --> 00:24:40,978
But despite the Ark's power,
428
00:24:41,022 --> 00:24:43,981
Menelik's people
suffered no plagues,
429
00:24:44,025 --> 00:24:49,320
leading them to assume they
must be its rightful owners.
430
00:24:49,363 --> 00:24:54,950
The Solomonic dynasty ruled over
Ethiopia for over 2,000 years,
431
00:24:54,994 --> 00:25:00,498
and Ethiopian Orthodox scholars
like Dr. Solomon Getaneh
432
00:25:00,541 --> 00:25:04,043
believe the Ark has remained
in the country to this day.
433
00:25:11,010 --> 00:25:15,804
This ceremony has never been
filmed for television before.
434
00:25:15,848 --> 00:25:18,140
In the Ethiopian town of Axum,
435
00:25:18,184 --> 00:25:21,936
worshippers have gathered
for an early-morning Mass.
436
00:25:21,979 --> 00:25:25,981
The focus of today's sermon
is the Ark of the Covenant.
437
00:25:29,779 --> 00:25:32,863
We have seen this morning the
gathering of people for prayer.
438
00:25:32,907 --> 00:25:35,533
Now, this is
a unique opportunity
439
00:25:35,576 --> 00:25:38,494
to see the Ark of the Covenant
out of the altar.
440
00:25:40,498 --> 00:25:43,624
Just 20 miles
from the Eritrean border,
441
00:25:43,668 --> 00:25:48,170
Axum is home to the Cathedral
of Our Lady Mary of Zion,
442
00:25:48,214 --> 00:25:52,925
which sits on the holiest ground
in all of Ethiopian Orthodoxy.
443
00:26:01,060 --> 00:26:03,310
This is the most holy church
444
00:26:03,354 --> 00:26:05,563
for the Ethiopian
Orthodox religion.
445
00:26:05,606 --> 00:26:09,817
Every year, thousands
of people make a pilgrimage here
446
00:26:09,860 --> 00:26:13,195
to commemorate the arrival
of the Ark of the Covenant
447
00:26:13,239 --> 00:26:16,073
to Axum from Jerusalem.
448
00:26:17,827 --> 00:26:20,327
While there are many
Christian denominations,
449
00:26:20,371 --> 00:26:24,331
only this one has based
its beliefs so intently
450
00:26:24,375 --> 00:26:26,542
around the possession
of the Ark.
451
00:26:29,964 --> 00:26:33,257
Every Ethiopian Orthodox Church
worldwide
452
00:26:33,301 --> 00:26:38,012
contains a replica of the Ark
inside its own Holy of Holies.
453
00:26:38,055 --> 00:26:42,474
It is instructed a replica
must be in the church.
454
00:26:42,518 --> 00:26:45,144
Without having a replica,
455
00:26:45,187 --> 00:26:47,688
the building cannot
be called a church.
456
00:26:47,732 --> 00:26:51,442
At the same time, a replica
is a center of the worship.
457
00:26:55,865 --> 00:26:59,867
And in fact, the Ark at
the center of today's ceremony
458
00:26:59,910 --> 00:27:01,744
is also a replica.
459
00:27:05,750 --> 00:27:09,251
Even the replicas are thought
to have tremendous power,
460
00:27:09,295 --> 00:27:11,795
and are rarely
brought into public view.
461
00:27:15,134 --> 00:27:17,676
But what about the real
Ark of the Covenant?
462
00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:19,345
If it truly exists,
463
00:27:19,388 --> 00:27:21,639
and the Ethiopians
still possess it,
464
00:27:21,682 --> 00:27:23,223
where can it be found?
465
00:27:24,894 --> 00:27:27,936
The Ark is thought to be
too powerful to reside
466
00:27:27,980 --> 00:27:29,521
in the main church,
467
00:27:29,565 --> 00:27:32,107
so a secure building
was constructed
468
00:27:32,151 --> 00:27:35,277
to house it deep underground.
469
00:27:35,321 --> 00:27:40,240
And that building is here,
just 100 yards away.
470
00:27:42,912 --> 00:27:45,287
Can you imagine,
right behind me,
471
00:27:45,331 --> 00:27:49,291
the 5,000-year-old Ark of
the Covenant with the tablet?
472
00:27:49,335 --> 00:27:51,794
The same Ark from
the temple of Solomon.
473
00:27:51,837 --> 00:27:56,548
Unfortunately, the true Ark
is off-limits to visitors,
474
00:27:56,592 --> 00:28:00,511
and actually, it can
only be viewed by one man,
475
00:28:00,554 --> 00:28:02,137
the guardian monk.
476
00:28:05,351 --> 00:28:07,101
According to tradition,
477
00:28:07,144 --> 00:28:11,897
the Ark's guardian monk
is chosen by divine prophecy.
478
00:28:11,941 --> 00:28:15,526
Once appointed, the guardian
lives inside the chapel
479
00:28:15,569 --> 00:28:18,153
and protects the Ark
for the rest of his life.
480
00:28:19,990 --> 00:28:23,701
The current guardian has held
his post for nearly 50 years,
481
00:28:23,744 --> 00:28:26,161
and is almost never seen.
482
00:28:26,205 --> 00:28:27,955
He usually stays inside,
praying
483
00:28:27,998 --> 00:28:33,043
and protecting the most
valuable nucleus of the church.
484
00:28:33,087 --> 00:28:36,171
He's out. He's--
485
00:28:36,215 --> 00:28:39,049
- Look.
- Oh--he's out.
486
00:28:39,093 --> 00:28:40,592
Yeah, yeah, he's outside.
487
00:28:40,636 --> 00:28:43,929
This is a rare occasion
the guardian is outside.
488
00:28:43,973 --> 00:28:46,223
I am going to try
to talk to him.
489
00:28:50,563 --> 00:28:53,939
This is one of the first times
that a current guardian monk
490
00:28:53,983 --> 00:28:55,691
has ever been photographed.
491
00:28:59,530 --> 00:29:02,781
It's a once-in-a-lifetime
chance that few believers
492
00:29:02,825 --> 00:29:05,951
will ever get to experience.
493
00:29:05,995 --> 00:29:09,747
Normally, the guardian
don't talk to anyone,
494
00:29:09,790 --> 00:29:13,167
but I got a rare opportunity.
495
00:29:13,210 --> 00:29:15,836
He asked me what people
saying about
496
00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,005
the true Ark of the Covenant.
497
00:29:18,048 --> 00:29:20,799
Then I told him
that some of them say
498
00:29:20,843 --> 00:29:21,925
that it's not in Ethiopia.
499
00:29:21,969 --> 00:29:23,302
He said the Ark is here,
500
00:29:23,345 --> 00:29:25,679
the true Ark of the Covenant
is here.
501
00:29:27,933 --> 00:29:32,019
For now, that confirmation
will have to be enough.
502
00:29:32,062 --> 00:29:36,064
I believed earlier,
I believe now, and forever,
503
00:29:36,108 --> 00:29:38,984
but it gives me great,
great pleasure talking
504
00:29:39,028 --> 00:29:40,903
to the guardian monk.
505
00:29:40,946 --> 00:29:45,407
He blessed me by the hand
that he touched
506
00:29:45,451 --> 00:29:49,244
the true Ark of the Covenant
so, I'm extremely happy.
507
00:29:53,167 --> 00:29:56,418
Is it possible that the true
Ark of the Covenant
508
00:29:56,462 --> 00:29:58,837
was removed from Israel
and has remained here
509
00:29:58,881 --> 00:30:00,923
for thousands of years?
510
00:30:00,966 --> 00:30:03,342
For the nearly
50 million members
511
00:30:03,385 --> 00:30:05,719
of the Ethiopian
Orthodox Church,
512
00:30:05,763 --> 00:30:09,014
there is no question
that the answer is yes.
513
00:30:09,058 --> 00:30:12,434
Meanwhile, historians,
other religious groups,
514
00:30:12,478 --> 00:30:15,354
archaeologists,
and even the Nazi party,
515
00:30:15,397 --> 00:30:17,606
have continued to search
for the Ark.
516
00:30:17,650 --> 00:30:21,235
Many of them believe it never
left Israel in the first place,
517
00:30:21,278 --> 00:30:24,321
but all agree
that it somehow escaped
518
00:30:24,365 --> 00:30:25,948
the temple's destruction.
519
00:30:25,991 --> 00:30:29,243
If the Israelites
did manage to save the Ark
520
00:30:29,286 --> 00:30:31,036
in the midst of a war,
521
00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:34,039
archaeologist Harry Moskoff
believes he knows
522
00:30:34,083 --> 00:30:36,875
precisely how
they pulled it off.
523
00:30:40,089 --> 00:30:41,964
Right now,
we're on the southern slope
524
00:30:42,007 --> 00:30:43,257
of the Temple Mount.
525
00:30:43,300 --> 00:30:44,883
This is the holiest
spot on Earth.
526
00:30:44,927 --> 00:30:48,095
Just beyond this wall
is where the Holy of Holies,
527
00:30:48,138 --> 00:30:50,889
King Solomon's temple and
the Ark of the Covenant, stood.
528
00:30:53,185 --> 00:30:56,562
When the temple was destroyed,
the Ark disappeared.
529
00:30:56,605 --> 00:30:58,522
Many people believe
that the Ark may have been
530
00:30:58,566 --> 00:31:01,483
destroyed or lost, but I'm here
to tell you that in fact
531
00:31:01,527 --> 00:31:06,071
the Ark still exists, even until
today, and is not far from here.
532
00:31:06,115 --> 00:31:09,324
If the Ark truly
remains in Israel,
533
00:31:09,368 --> 00:31:11,869
the question is
how did it escape
534
00:31:11,912 --> 00:31:14,371
before the temple's destruction?
535
00:31:14,415 --> 00:31:18,166
According to Harry, there
is only one possible answer.
536
00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:21,795
There are over
35 acres of tunnels
537
00:31:21,839 --> 00:31:23,005
underneath the Temple Mount,
538
00:31:25,009 --> 00:31:27,342
and many of them
lead out of Jerusalem.
539
00:31:29,221 --> 00:31:31,346
According to my research,
the ancient Israelites
540
00:31:31,390 --> 00:31:33,098
in the times
of the First Temple,
541
00:31:33,142 --> 00:31:35,434
may have used this tunnel system
to hide the Ark of the Covenant
542
00:31:35,477 --> 00:31:39,062
before the destruction
in 586 B.C.
543
00:31:40,649 --> 00:31:42,733
If Harry's theory is correct,
544
00:31:42,776 --> 00:31:46,778
we now have an incredible
opportunity to track the Ark.
545
00:31:46,822 --> 00:31:49,615
Because even though
access to the tunnels
546
00:31:49,658 --> 00:31:52,659
is highly restricted,
with Harry's help,
547
00:31:52,703 --> 00:31:56,204
we can enter these
3,000-year-old passages
548
00:31:56,248 --> 00:31:59,541
and see them for ourselves.
549
00:31:59,585 --> 00:32:03,420
Where I'm taking you now
is the original tunnel system.
550
00:32:03,464 --> 00:32:07,215
Now, this tunnel is really
the closest point
551
00:32:07,259 --> 00:32:09,801
that we have to actually
getting to the chamber
552
00:32:09,845 --> 00:32:10,928
of the Ark of the Covenant.
553
00:32:16,185 --> 00:32:18,018
It's down here,
it's underneath this.
554
00:32:26,695 --> 00:32:29,696
Many religious sources agree
that the Ark of the Covenant
555
00:32:29,740 --> 00:32:34,284
once sat securely in King
Solomon's temple in Jerusalem.
556
00:32:34,328 --> 00:32:36,411
But when that temple
was destroyed,
557
00:32:36,455 --> 00:32:40,415
the Ark may have been saved
by way of a network
558
00:32:40,459 --> 00:32:43,001
of secret tunnels
beneath the city.
559
00:32:47,925 --> 00:32:51,134
There are over 50 tunnels
under the Temple Mount,
560
00:32:51,178 --> 00:32:54,137
many of them dating all the way
back to King Solomon's day.
561
00:32:55,557 --> 00:32:57,224
We know that in
King Solomon's time,
562
00:32:57,267 --> 00:32:59,017
the time of the First Temple,
563
00:32:59,061 --> 00:33:01,937
the Ark of the Covenant was held
in the Holy of Holies chamber,
564
00:33:01,981 --> 00:33:04,982
directly above us.
565
00:33:05,025 --> 00:33:07,150
Everything started right here.
566
00:33:09,363 --> 00:33:11,071
King Solomon,
in his great wisdom,
567
00:33:11,115 --> 00:33:12,864
knew that he might need
an escape route.
568
00:33:14,368 --> 00:33:16,576
He used these tunnels
as an insurance plan,
569
00:33:16,620 --> 00:33:19,079
in case the temple
would come under attack.
570
00:33:20,582 --> 00:33:22,541
Just as Solomon predicted,
571
00:33:22,584 --> 00:33:25,043
the attack came
from the Babylonians,
572
00:33:25,087 --> 00:33:27,879
who completely
destroyed the temple.
573
00:33:27,923 --> 00:33:31,633
But by then, the Ark
may have been long gone.
574
00:33:34,179 --> 00:33:36,596
There's a story that says
a thousand priests
575
00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:38,974
were able to escape
with the temple vessels,
576
00:33:39,018 --> 00:33:40,559
and you can easily imagine
the priests
577
00:33:40,602 --> 00:33:43,603
rushing these temple vessels
out of these tunnels
578
00:33:43,647 --> 00:33:45,564
for safekeeping.
579
00:33:45,607 --> 00:33:48,483
Follow the tunnels,
and we could locate
580
00:33:48,527 --> 00:33:50,902
the final resting place
of the Ark,
581
00:33:50,946 --> 00:33:54,489
and all the rest of
the temple's treasures.
582
00:33:54,533 --> 00:33:58,952
So if you connect the dots,
what you have is a direct path
583
00:33:58,996 --> 00:34:00,912
from the Holy of Holies
directly above us,
584
00:34:00,956 --> 00:34:03,790
with the Ark of the Covenant
in it in the First Temple,
585
00:34:03,834 --> 00:34:06,793
down straight to the chamber
where the Ark was kept,
586
00:34:06,837 --> 00:34:09,838
through these tunnels,
and onward 18 miles,
587
00:34:09,882 --> 00:34:12,674
all the way to the plains
of Jericho, to Qumran.
588
00:34:14,303 --> 00:34:15,594
I've been working
for over 20 years
589
00:34:15,637 --> 00:34:17,429
to find the Ark of the Covenant,
590
00:34:17,473 --> 00:34:20,599
and I believe we're closer
than ever before to finding it.
591
00:34:20,642 --> 00:34:22,517
But the Ark is very powerful.
592
00:34:22,561 --> 00:34:25,604
It is the most powerful object
in the history of mankind.
593
00:34:25,647 --> 00:34:27,731
It will only be found
under the right conditions,
594
00:34:27,775 --> 00:34:29,274
when it's ready.
595
00:34:33,238 --> 00:34:37,199
Those perfect conditions
may soon be upon us,
596
00:34:37,242 --> 00:34:39,201
because in
the plains of Jericho,
597
00:34:39,244 --> 00:34:41,912
precisely where
the tunnels lead,
598
00:34:41,955 --> 00:34:45,665
treasure hunter Jim Barfield
thinks he may have found
599
00:34:45,709 --> 00:34:47,626
the perfect hiding spot,
600
00:34:47,669 --> 00:34:50,212
along with an ancient
treasure map
601
00:34:50,255 --> 00:34:53,507
that could lead us directly
to the Ark of the Covenant.
602
00:34:56,053 --> 00:34:59,638
These are the ancient ruins
of the community of Qumran.
603
00:34:59,681 --> 00:35:01,848
They're most famous
because this is where
604
00:35:01,892 --> 00:35:03,683
the Dead Sea Scrolls
were found.
605
00:35:05,395 --> 00:35:08,897
The Dead Sea Scrolls are
ancient Jewish religious texts,
606
00:35:08,941 --> 00:35:12,526
some up to 2,500 years old.
607
00:35:12,569 --> 00:35:14,861
They were buried here, in caves,
608
00:35:14,905 --> 00:35:18,698
and only rediscovered
in the 1940s.
609
00:35:18,742 --> 00:35:23,453
But then, in 1952,
one more scroll was found,
610
00:35:23,497 --> 00:35:25,580
unlike any of the others.
611
00:35:28,752 --> 00:35:31,169
It's different in two ways.
612
00:35:31,213 --> 00:35:34,673
First, its material:
not written on parchment,
613
00:35:34,716 --> 00:35:37,592
but hammered
into precious copper.
614
00:35:37,636 --> 00:35:40,095
And second, its content.
615
00:35:40,139 --> 00:35:42,305
It doesn't contain Scripture.
616
00:35:42,349 --> 00:35:45,725
It contains something
far more valuable.
617
00:35:45,769 --> 00:35:48,812
The copper scroll is kind
of like a treasure map,
618
00:35:48,856 --> 00:35:52,274
listing the locations of the
treasures of ancient Israel,
619
00:35:52,317 --> 00:35:54,317
including the Ark
of the Covenant.
620
00:35:57,489 --> 00:35:59,072
For the first time in history,
621
00:35:59,116 --> 00:36:02,117
Jim has combined
the copper scroll's instructions
622
00:36:02,161 --> 00:36:05,287
with geological surveys
and scientific data
623
00:36:05,330 --> 00:36:10,167
to zero in on the potential
location of the buried treasure.
624
00:36:10,210 --> 00:36:12,335
Location number one
on the copper scroll
625
00:36:12,379 --> 00:36:15,839
describes 17 talents
of silver service vessels
626
00:36:15,883 --> 00:36:17,424
from the temple of Solomon.
627
00:36:17,467 --> 00:36:20,510
And the copper scroll says
that they are located
628
00:36:20,554 --> 00:36:23,722
"at the steps, heading east,
40 cubits long."
629
00:36:25,475 --> 00:36:28,393
Jim's survey showed
only one location
630
00:36:28,437 --> 00:36:30,061
with steps heading east.
631
00:36:31,899 --> 00:36:33,440
When he measured them,
632
00:36:33,483 --> 00:36:37,027
he knew
he was on the right track.
633
00:36:37,070 --> 00:36:40,405
These steps are exactly
40 cubits long, heading east.
634
00:36:40,449 --> 00:36:44,534
I am convinced those 17 talents
of silver service vessels
635
00:36:44,578 --> 00:36:47,746
are right here,
under this ground.
636
00:36:47,789 --> 00:36:50,957
Jim is currently lobbying
the Israeli government
637
00:36:51,001 --> 00:36:53,001
for permission to excavate.
638
00:36:53,045 --> 00:36:56,338
But according to him,
there's far more to uncover
639
00:36:56,381 --> 00:36:59,382
than just 17 talents of silver.
640
00:36:59,426 --> 00:37:02,886
His map may lead to
even greater treasures,
641
00:37:02,930 --> 00:37:05,805
including the Ark
of the Covenant.
642
00:37:09,269 --> 00:37:11,561
Is it possible that
the Ark of the Covenant
643
00:37:11,605 --> 00:37:13,855
was secretly rushed
from the first Hebrew temple
644
00:37:13,899 --> 00:37:18,818
in Jerusalem just before
the temple's destruction?
645
00:37:18,862 --> 00:37:22,614
Treasure hunter Jim Barfield
believes the answer is yes.
646
00:37:24,534 --> 00:37:26,993
He has decoded
an ancient treasure map,
647
00:37:27,037 --> 00:37:30,455
hammered into a copper scroll,
thousands of years old,
648
00:37:30,499 --> 00:37:32,999
which lists the supposed
locations
649
00:37:33,043 --> 00:37:35,502
of the most valuable artifacts
from the temple.
650
00:37:37,506 --> 00:37:39,839
According to Jim,
they can all be found
651
00:37:39,883 --> 00:37:41,967
in the ancient city of Qumran.
652
00:37:43,679 --> 00:37:46,179
The second location
on the copper scroll
653
00:37:46,223 --> 00:37:48,723
was surprisingly easy to find,
654
00:37:48,767 --> 00:37:53,103
considering the value
of what's buried right here.
655
00:37:53,146 --> 00:37:57,023
The copper scrolls describe
this location like this:
656
00:37:57,067 --> 00:38:00,026
"In the dry cistern of
the great ruined courtyard
657
00:38:00,070 --> 00:38:02,696
"of the peristyle
is hidden polished gold.
658
00:38:02,739 --> 00:38:06,074
In front of the uppermost
opening are 900 talents."
659
00:38:06,118 --> 00:38:10,203
That is 33 tons of
polished gold at this location.
660
00:38:11,748 --> 00:38:13,915
Armed with a survey of Qumran,
661
00:38:13,959 --> 00:38:18,712
Jim was quickly able
to locate the town's cistern.
662
00:38:18,755 --> 00:38:21,840
I came out here with a member
of the Israeli parliament
663
00:38:21,883 --> 00:38:24,634
and a very powerful
metal detector,
664
00:38:24,678 --> 00:38:26,970
and when we got to this spot,
665
00:38:27,014 --> 00:38:29,472
the readings
were off the charts.
666
00:38:29,516 --> 00:38:32,309
I could not believe what I saw.
667
00:38:32,352 --> 00:38:35,186
I went home and
I buried 30 pounds of silver
668
00:38:35,230 --> 00:38:38,648
in my front yard and the
readings didn't even come close.
669
00:38:38,692 --> 00:38:42,944
But the gold was never
Jim's primary target.
670
00:38:42,988 --> 00:38:45,071
It's just one more clue
671
00:38:45,115 --> 00:38:48,283
that could lead
to the greatest prize of all.
672
00:38:48,327 --> 00:38:51,119
Location number one,
location number two
673
00:38:51,163 --> 00:38:52,912
lined up perfectly with my map.
674
00:38:52,956 --> 00:38:56,875
But my ultimate goal is
to find location number three,
675
00:38:56,918 --> 00:38:58,960
which includes
the temple vessels
676
00:38:59,004 --> 00:39:01,296
and the Ark of the Covenant.
677
00:39:01,340 --> 00:39:03,965
The copper scroll describes
this location as being
678
00:39:04,009 --> 00:39:06,676
at the north end
of the hill of Kohlit.
679
00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:09,012
It couldn't be within
the ruins of Qumran,
680
00:39:09,056 --> 00:39:12,223
because there are
no hills there.
681
00:39:12,267 --> 00:39:14,893
While Qumran
sits on flat land,
682
00:39:14,936 --> 00:39:17,937
there are several
large hills nearby.
683
00:39:17,981 --> 00:39:20,899
Jim studied dozens
of satellite images
684
00:39:20,942 --> 00:39:25,153
to find one that matched the
copper scroll's description.
685
00:39:25,197 --> 00:39:26,529
It's right here.
686
00:39:28,200 --> 00:39:30,909
Not only does this hill
feature a hidden cave,
687
00:39:30,952 --> 00:39:33,703
it also sits
in perfect alignment
688
00:39:33,747 --> 00:39:36,373
with the other temple treasures.
689
00:39:36,416 --> 00:39:41,711
Take location number one,
location number two,
690
00:39:41,755 --> 00:39:44,714
and you connect them
with a straight line,
691
00:39:44,758 --> 00:39:46,591
they will lead directly
to this cave
692
00:39:46,635 --> 00:39:49,928
that holds Israel's
most important treasures,
693
00:39:49,971 --> 00:39:52,180
including
the Ark of the Covenant.
694
00:39:54,851 --> 00:39:57,727
Jeremiah brought
the Ark of the Covenant,
695
00:39:57,771 --> 00:39:59,521
the tabernacle of Moses,
696
00:39:59,564 --> 00:40:01,314
and buried them
inside of a cave
697
00:40:01,358 --> 00:40:02,816
and sealed the entrance.
698
00:40:02,859 --> 00:40:06,152
When I got to the cave,
some of the stones
699
00:40:06,196 --> 00:40:08,613
looked different than the rest.
700
00:40:08,657 --> 00:40:11,574
It appears that
an ancient trowel of some type
701
00:40:11,618 --> 00:40:15,245
was used to form this seal.
702
00:40:15,288 --> 00:40:18,415
I took a sample of this stone
to two different companies.
703
00:40:18,458 --> 00:40:21,543
They said it was an
ancient man-made mortar,
704
00:40:21,586 --> 00:40:24,754
unlike any natural formation.
705
00:40:24,798 --> 00:40:28,007
It's clear that whoever
sealed this cave
706
00:40:28,051 --> 00:40:31,261
went to great lengths
to hide its contents.
707
00:40:31,304 --> 00:40:34,973
Could those contents include
the Ark of the Covenant?
708
00:40:35,016 --> 00:40:36,808
After we identified this
709
00:40:36,852 --> 00:40:39,018
as the most likely site
of the cave,
710
00:40:39,062 --> 00:40:42,480
we came back with
the high-powered metal detector.
711
00:40:42,524 --> 00:40:45,024
When we saw the readings
for this location
712
00:40:45,068 --> 00:40:47,819
we knew that this was
the motherlode.
713
00:40:47,863 --> 00:40:51,030
The metal detector readings
at the cave
714
00:40:51,074 --> 00:40:54,284
are five times higher
than the 33 tons of gold
715
00:40:54,327 --> 00:40:56,453
at site number two,
716
00:40:56,496 --> 00:41:02,083
suggesting an even greater prize
could indeed be hidden here.
717
00:41:02,127 --> 00:41:05,044
It's obvious
that something's here.
718
00:41:05,088 --> 00:41:09,299
The copper scroll,
the map, the mortar,
719
00:41:09,342 --> 00:41:11,885
and the readings
of the metal detector,
720
00:41:11,928 --> 00:41:14,721
all of these leave me
with no doubt.
721
00:41:14,764 --> 00:41:18,808
In this cave are some of
Israel's greatest treasures,
722
00:41:18,852 --> 00:41:20,977
including
the Ark of the Covenant.
723
00:41:24,983 --> 00:41:28,651
If Jim Barfield can get
permission to dig at Qumran,
724
00:41:28,695 --> 00:41:32,030
there's a chance he might be
about to finally unearth
725
00:41:32,073 --> 00:41:34,282
the Ark of the Covenant.
726
00:41:34,326 --> 00:41:36,659
Looking forward,
there's no telling
727
00:41:36,703 --> 00:41:39,245
where the hunt
for the Ark might go.
728
00:41:39,289 --> 00:41:43,166
But looking backward,
it all leads to one man,
729
00:41:43,210 --> 00:41:46,252
a man who simultaneously
held two
730
00:41:46,296 --> 00:41:49,631
of the Bible's most famed
and mysterious treasures.
731
00:41:49,674 --> 00:41:52,842
If he existed,
King Solomon was quite possibly
732
00:41:52,886 --> 00:41:55,887
the most powerful person
to ever live.
733
00:41:55,931 --> 00:41:58,431
From his lucrative
copper mines in Israel,
734
00:41:58,475 --> 00:42:01,476
to his massive gold reserves
imported from abroad,
735
00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:04,270
he controlled
the area's trade routes,
736
00:42:04,314 --> 00:42:07,524
and united his kingdom with
another regional superpower.
737
00:42:07,567 --> 00:42:09,901
He accomplished all of this
738
00:42:09,945 --> 00:42:14,197
while in possession
of the Ark of the Covenant.
739
00:42:14,241 --> 00:42:18,368
But as Solomon reached old age
and reflected on his life,
740
00:42:18,411 --> 00:42:22,080
he wrote a telling line
in the Book of Ecclesiastes:
741
00:42:22,123 --> 00:42:25,124
"All the rivers
run into the sea,
742
00:42:25,168 --> 00:42:28,086
yet the sea is not full."
743
00:42:28,129 --> 00:42:31,172
Perhaps the old king
had realized
744
00:42:31,216 --> 00:42:34,300
that history's ultimate
accumulation of wealth and power
745
00:42:34,344 --> 00:42:38,304
still wasn't enough
to provide fulfillment.
746
00:42:38,348 --> 00:42:40,098
It's a lesson
that future generations
747
00:42:40,141 --> 00:42:44,936
of biblical treasure hunters
would be wise to keep in mind.
748
00:42:44,980 --> 00:42:47,021
The search continues.
60446
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.