Though Jones and Brody were told by Major Eaton that it was to be studied by higher authorities, the relic was simply nailed inside a wooden crate numbered 9906753 and placed inside a gigantic warehouse among hundreds of similar crates.
However, the film's final moments show that it's actually been placed in a nondescript crate and stored in a colossal warehouse filled with numerous other identical crates, implying that the Ark is simply being hidden away.
Coming to a rest, the Ark was buried under an ocean of snow, once more hidden from the world. Nine years later, while he had known about the fate of Noah's Ark, Indy sarcastically told to Reeko that he would pay him five hundred dollars if he had Noah's Ark, the Holy Grail and Atlantis "wrapped up in one".
What happens when the Ark of the Covenant is opened Indiana Jones?
At Jones' instruction, he and Marion close their eyes to avoid looking at the opened Ark, as it releases spirits, flames, and bolts of energy that kill Belloq, Toht, and the assembled Nazis before sealing itself shut. Jones and Marion open their eyes to find the area cleared of bodies and their bindings removed.
The REAL History of the Ark of the Covenant - Indiana Jones Explained
How did Indiana Jones know not to look when the Ark was opened?
In the nick of time, he remembers the prophetic words of Imam, who claimed that anyone who turned their faces upon the light of the Ark would be annihilated. This timely realization allows Indy and Marion to avert their gazes and escape a similar end.
This is first explained in additional dialogue for the scene when Indy and Sallah visit Imam. Before translating the writings on the headpiece that give the height of the Staff of Ra, Imam warns Indy not to touch the Ark or look at it when it is opened.
The Ark of the Covenant was lost after the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE. Some claim that it was stolen while others claim it is on Mount Nebo, from where Moses saw the Promised Land. Most popularly, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims that they have it in their Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion.
Why is the Ark of the Covenant important in Indiana Jones?
The first Indiana Jones movie made the Ark into its central MacGuffin that the Nazis searched for in order to harness its mystical power, described by competing archaeologist Belloq as “a radio for speaking to God.”
By selecting the correct Holy Grail among other goblets, Indiana Jones survived drinking from the cup and was able to save his father. Indy wasn't injured at the time, so it was less obvious that the Holy Grail might have also blessed him with long life and good health as well.
Jewish and Christian holy scriptures dictate that the Ark of the Covenant can be carried only by Levites, who constituted the ancient Jewish priestly class. They must carry the Ark by using two wooden poles inserted through rings on its sides, as touching the Ark itself will result in death at the hands of God.
The Ark of the Covenant is seen in a broken crate during the Hangar 51 opening sequence. Lucasfilm used the same prop from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Guards were hired to protect the highly sought-after piece of film memorabilia during the day of its use.
Thankfully, there are no written historical accounts of spirits being released from the Ark, like in the first Indiana Jones movie, nor are there any stories of people's faces melting after being exposed to the power of god from within the box, even if the Old Testament details seventy men of Beth-shemesh, Israel, ...
The novelization by Campbell Black reveals that, as the vessel sinks, Indy uses his whip to secure himself to the periscope, then holds on for dear life. The U-boat stays at periscope depth: leaving him wet and miserable, but above the water the whole time.
The opening of the Ark of the Covenant causes all hell to break loose, and the Nazis present meet their doom by looking at the released spirits while Indiana Jones closes his eyes. And so, a face melts, and heads cave in or explode, in the terrifying climax of one of cinema's best adventure films.
Henry Walton “Indiana” Jones—the fictional adventurer, explorer, hunky professor, and intrepid archeologist—is almost certainly based on a real person: naturalist and palaeontologist Roy Chapman Andrews. Or as Sara Appelbee calls him, “Granddad.”
Is there any proof that the Ark of the Covenant existed?
Despite being an integral part of Ethiopian Orthodoxy, the nature of the Ark's supposed guardianship at Aksum has made the church's claim to ownership unverifiable. Most historians think that if it existed, the more than 3,000-year-old relic either disintegrated over time or was destroyed.
The cave concealing the ark is not for our eyes because God does not wish us to see it and the temple furniture within. God closed the tunnel to the ark cave because He did not desire the 3ABN group [who had paid Wyatt to come and film] to see these holy objects.
When was the last time the Ark of the Covenant was seen?
The last time the Ark of the Covenant was supposedly seen was in Jerusalem, some 2,600 years ago. Now archaeologists are exploring the ancient town of Kiriath Jearim, where the Bible says the ark was kept for 20 years before being taken to Jerusalem.
Why can't Indy destroy the Ark when he has the chance?
His refusal to also blow up the Ark is an act of faith in God and the Truth to the power of the Ark. While Belloq correctly calls it a historical treasure that Indy couldn't bring himself to destroy, Indiana realizes if the Nazis do open the Ark, it will destroy them, like the aforementioned passage.
How did Indiana previously know Marion in Raiders of the Lost Ark?
How did Indiana previously know Marion in Raiders of the Lost Ark? Her father Abner Ravenwood was Indiana Jones' Mentor - Indy knew Marion when he was at University and she was still at school because her father taught him and he was invited to their home on numerous occasions.
What ultimately happens to the Ark at the end of the movie?
Just as previous generations found ways to hide the ark in the hidden catacomb, now in modern times so too the ark now has to find its way back into hidden protection. The warehouse scene is effectively making the ark a needle in a haystack and is probably one of the best ways the movie could end.
The events conclude after the area has been purged (save Indy and Marion, who are spared because they keep their eyes shut during the encounter, likely a reference to Genesis 32:30), and the Ark's heavy cover slams shut again.
Indiana Jones' methods — which often involve the use of a bullwhip and pistol — are obviously not by the book, but the "more serious issue is that he is a white guy exoticizing, brutalizing and patronizing local and Indigenous people and stealing their cultural heritage," Pyburn said.
