Camilla Jessen
CIA documents claim remote viewers located biblical Ark of the Covenant
For centuries, the Ark of the Covenant has remained one of history’s greatest religious mysteries. Believed to contain the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, its location has long been unknown.
Now, declassified CIA documents from the 1980s suggest intelligence officials once attempted to find the sacred artifact using people who claimed to possess paranormal abilities.
Ancient biblical relic
According to the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant was constructed by the Israelites after their escape from Egypt.
The chest, described as being made from acacia wood and covered in gold, was created at Mount Sinai in the 13th century BC.
Biblical accounts say Moses placed the stone tablets bearing the Ten Commandments inside the Ark.
Many historians believe the object was later kept in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem, where only the High Priest was permitted to see it on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.
Secret CIA program
Declassified records reveal that US intelligence agencies explored unconventional research methods during the Cold War.
According to CIA files, several agencies recruited individuals who allegedly possessed paranormal abilities during the 1970s and 1980s.
The initiative involved experiments in “remote viewing,” a technique in which participants attempted to mentally perceive distant objects, locations or events.
One such effort formed part of a project known as Sun Streak, which examined whether these methods could gather intelligence.
Description of the Ark
In a document dated December 5, 1988, a participant identified as Remote Viewer No. 032 was assigned geographic coordinates and asked to describe the target.
The viewer reportedly described an object resembling a decorated container without being told what they were searching for.
“The target is a container. This container has another container inside of it. The target is fashioned of wood, gold and silver…. and it is decorated with [a six-winged angel],” the individual said in the report.
The viewer also suggested the object was located somewhere in the Middle East.
Underground location
According to the document, the participant claimed the object was buried underground in a dark and damp environment.
“This target is located somewhere in the Middle East as the language spoken by individuals present seemed to be Arabic,” the viewer wrote.
They also described the item as having spiritual significance.
“The purpose of the target is to bring a people together. It has something to do with ceremony, memory, homage, the resurrection.”
The document added that the object was protected and could only be opened by those authorised to do so.
Renewed attention
The documents have circulated online in recent years after being publicly available on the CIA’s website.
Interest in the files grew again after they were discussed on the Ninjas Are Butterflies podcast, where host Josh Hooper said he initially doubted the claims before locating the documents himself.
While the files record what participants reported during the experiments, historians and scientists generally regard remote viewing as unproven.
Sources: CIA, Ninjas Are Butterflies podcast
