The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most sacred objects of the Judeo-Christian religion. Its mysterious disappearance is intensified by its mystical powers as told in the stories of the Bible. Two theories attempt to explain the mystery. One possibility is either King Solomon and/or Josiah preemptively hid the ark before the Babylonian invasion with its present whereabouts unknown. The other theory is that the ark was taken by the Ethiopian ruler, Menelik I, son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba where it remains hidden away in a church. The latter is the most alluring theory of the lost ark because of the powerful relationship between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the accounts in the "Kebra Negast, " and the religious rites still practiced today by Ethiopian Christians. .
Queen of Sheba is herself a powerful, wealthy woman. When she learns of King Solomon's reputation for spiritual wisdom, she is intrigued and travels to test his knowledge. In the bible, the encounter ends with her spiritual conversion. The Hebrew word "L'Babah " is used to describe the revelation of her inner-self to Solomon (Tidswell, 44). This suggests an intimate relationship between them. King Solomon was known for his "tireless appetite for women " (Backman, 81). This in addition to his wealth and spiritual wisdom would all be attractive qualities to the Queen. She was clearly impressed by him and his God with her conversion to Christianity. He gives her "delight and bounty " (Tidswell, 46) which some suggest is a son, Menelik. This part of the historical record is ambiguous but many believe she arrives back in Ethiopia pregnant with a son. In a 2012 scientific journal, Hannah Krakauer, presents a study of Ethiopian genomes and linguistics. It proved lineages between Middle-Eastern and Ethiopian people in that region nearly 3,000 years ago (Krakauer, 15). This is the same time in which the meeting of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon likely takes place.
