



Archaeologists believe they have found the home of the Ark of the Covenant in an ancient dig site in the Holy Land.
Researchers working on stone ruins at Shiloh in the modern-day West Bank have discovered "a monumental building" which perfectly matches biblical descriptions of the "Tabernacle", the portable earthly dwelling of God.
In scripture, Moses placed the 10 Commandments inside the Ark, which was housed in the Tabernacle.
It has been lost for almost 1,500 years - but now, archaeologists at the Shiloh site think they've found it.
"We've uncovered a monumental building from the Iron I period that matches the biblical dimensions of the Tabernacle," site director Dr Scott Stripling said.
"The structure is oriented east-west and divided in a 2:1 ratio, just as described in scripture."
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|PICTURED: Dr Scott Stripling's dig site at Shiloh
As well as the building, Dr Stripling's team found pottery and more than 100,000 animal bones.
The skeletal remains are mostly sheep, goat, and cattle, bones, and tend to come from the animals' right sides.
Leviticus 7 outlines that the right side of the animal was reserved for religious offerings.
"This isn't a coincidence," Dr Stripling told The Christian Broadcasting Network. "The evidence of sacrificial rituals here is overwhelming, and it matches the biblical account to a degree that's hard to ignore."
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|A view over the Shiloh valley, where the Tabernacle is said to have stood
Shiloh is described in the Bible as Israel's first major religious centre, and played a pivotal role in a biblical battle.
In the midst of war with the Philistines, the Israelites brought the Ark from the Tabernacle to the battlefield in a bid to win divine favour - and subsequently lost it.
Eli the high priest was responsible for the Tabernacle. His sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were killed in battle.
When a messenger brought news of the defeat back to Shiloh, he found 98-year-old Eli waiting by the city gate.
Then, when he discovered the Ark had been captured, Eli fell backward from his seat, broke his neck and died.
Dr Stripling now believes his researchers have found that gate.
However, Exodus 26's description of the Tabernacle may cast doubt on Dr Stripling's research.
"You shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and crimson yarn," the Bible says - with no reference to a stone structure.