The tablets are in the Ark of the Covenant, which is kept in the Holy of Holies in the Second Temple—but that temple was destroyed in 70 CE, and no one knows where the Ark went after that
According to the Hebrew Bible, Moses received two stone tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. He placed them inside the Ark of the Covenant, a wooden chest overlaid with gold, which became the most sacred object in Jewish worship. The Ark sat in the innermost chamber of the Temple in Jerusalem—a room called the Holy of Holies that only the high priest could enter, once a year.
When the Roman army destroyed the Second Temple in 70 CE, the Ark vanished. No historical record documents what happened to it. The tablets themselves have never been found, and their current location—if they still exist—remains unknown.
Key Takeaways
- The Ten Commandments tablets were kept inside the Ark of the Covenant, a gold-covered wooden chest that stood in the Temple's Holy of Holies.
- The Ark disappeared when Roman forces destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE, and no archaeological evidence has located it since.
- Jewish tradition holds that the Ark was hidden before the Temple's destruction, but no historical sources confirm where or by whom.
- Some scholars believe the Ark may have been destroyed, looted, or removed to another location, but these remain theories without supporting evidence.
What the Bible says about the tablets and the Ark
The Book of Exodus describes Moses receiving the two tablets of stone, written by God's finger, containing the Ten Commandments. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai and saw the Israelites worshipping a golden calf, he smashed the first set of tablets in anger. God then gave him a second set, which Moses placed inside the Ark of the Covenant.
The Ark was constructed according to specific instructions: acacia wood, 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches tall, overlaid with pure gold inside and out, with a gold crown around it. A lid called the mercy seat sat on top, flanked by two golden cherubim with wings spread over it. The Ark held three items: the two stone tablets, a jar of manna (the bread that sustained the Israelites in the desert), and Aaron's staff that had budded.
The Ark was moved from place to place during the Israelites' 40 years in the wilderness, then brought to Jerusalem when King David made it the capital. It remained in the Temple's Holy of Holies until the Temple's destruction.
The disappearance of the Ark in 70 CE
When the Roman general Titus besieged Jerusalem in 70 CE, the Second Temple was burned and destroyed. Roman soldiers looted the Temple's treasures—a scene depicted on the Arch of Titus in Rome, which shows Roman soldiers carrying the golden menorah and other Temple objects. However, no historical account mentions the Ark being removed or destroyed.
This silence is striking. If the Ark had been carried away by Roman soldiers, it would likely appear in Roman records or archaeological finds. If it had been destroyed in the fire, Jewish or Roman historians might have noted its fate. Instead, the Ark straightforward vanishes from the historical record after 70 CE.
Jewish tradition: the Ark was hidden before destruction
The Talmud and other Jewish texts suggest that the Ark was hidden before the Temple's destruction. One account claims that King Josiah, who ruled Judah about 340 years before the Temple fell, hid the Ark in a secret chamber beneath the Temple to protect it from Babylonian invasion. If true, it would have remained hidden when the Romans destroyed the Temple centuries later.
Another tradition holds that the prophet Jeremiah removed the Ark and hid it in a cave on Mount Nebo (in present-day Jordan) to preserve it. A third account says it was hidden in the Temple's foundation or in tunnels beneath Jerusalem. None of these accounts are confirmed by archaeology or contemporary historical sources, and they may reflect later Jewish hopes rather than actual events.
Archaeological searches and theories
Archaeologists have excavated the Temple Mount in Jerusalem multiple times, but no Ark of the Covenant has been found. The Temple's exact layout and the location of the Holy of Holies remain debated among scholars, which complicates any search. Additionally, the Temple Mount is one of the most sensitive religious sites in the world—it is sacred to Muslims, Jews, and Christians—and large-scale excavation is politically and religiously restricted.
Some scholars theorize that the Ark was destroyed in the fire of 70 CE and no trace remains. Others suggest it was looted by Roman soldiers but lost or melted down for its gold in antiquity. A third theory proposes that it was hidden by Jewish priests before the destruction and remains concealed somewhere in Jerusalem or the surrounding region, waiting to be discovered.
Claims about the Ark's location
Over the centuries, various groups have claimed to know where the Ark is. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church maintains that the Ark is kept in a chapel in Axum, Ethiopia, brought there by the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. However, no one outside the church's inner circle is permitted to see it, and no independent verification exists.
Other claims place the Ark in a cave near the Dead Sea, in a vault beneath the Temple Mount, in southern France, or in various other locations. None of these claims have been supported by credible archaeological evidence or historical documentation. Most scholars regard them as legends or unfounded speculation.
Why the tablets have never been recovered
Even if the Ark still exists somewhere, the tablets inside it would be extremely difficult to identify with certainty. Ancient stone tablets inscribed with Hebrew text could be confused with other artifacts. Without the Ark's distinctive gold covering and cherubim, isolated tablets would be hard to authenticate as the original Ten Commandments tablets rather than later copies or religious objects.
Additionally, if the Ark was hidden deliberately, those who hid it may have kept the location secret for religious reasons—viewing the Ark as too sacred to be disturbed. If it was destroyed, nothing would remain to find. The passage of nearly 2,000 years, the destruction and rebuilding of Jerusalem multiple times, and the political complexity of the Temple Mount all make recovery unlikely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the Romans take the Ark when they destroyed the Temple?
Roman records and the Arch of Titus document that soldiers looted the Temple's treasures, including the golden menorah and other objects. However, no Roman source mentions the Ark specifically. It may have been hidden before the destruction, destroyed in the fire, or removed by Jewish priests beforehand.
Is the Ark really in Ethiopia?
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess the Ark in Axum, but this cannot be verified independently. No scholar has been permitted to examine it, and no archaeological evidence supports the claim. It remains a religious tradition rather than a confirmed historical fact.
Could the tablets still be buried under Jerusalem?
It is theoretically possible, but archaeological excavation of the Temple Mount is restricted due to its religious significance to multiple faiths. Even if excavation were permitted, locating a specific object buried nearly 2,000 years ago would be extremely difficult without additional clues about where to search.
What would happen if the tablets were found?
A genuine discovery would be one of the most significant archaeological finds in history. However, authenticating the tablets as the original Ten Commandments tablets—rather than later copies or religious objects—would require informed analysis of the stone, the inscription, and the historical context.
Are there any copies of the Ten Commandments tablets?
The Hebrew Bible describes a second set of tablets given to Moses after he broke the first. Jewish tradition holds that both sets were placed in the Ark. Beyond that, no ancient copies of the tablets are known to exist, though the Ten Commandments text appears in the Torah and in various ancient manuscripts.