The Ark of the Covenant was rediscovered through the leading of God.  Ron
Wyatt, the archeologist whom God had permitted to re-discover a number of
significant archeological finds including Noah's ark, the Red Sea crossing site
with its encrusted chariot wheels, the real Mt. Sinai with its blackened top and
altars, was directed by God to dig in an area outside of old Jerusalem known as
the Calvary Escarpment.  The place is also known as the place of the Skull,
reflecting a pattern in the rock and is fairly close to the Garden Tomb, one of
the suspected burial places of Jesus (see map below).  This was in an area
located between the walls of Jerusalem and the Babylonian siege wall during the
siege of Jerusalem prior to its fall and destruction around 586 B.C.  Permission
to excavate was granted by the Israeli government as well as by the owners of
the two properties that would be affected.