Axum — also spelled Aksum — is a town of approximately 66,900 residents (as of 2015) in the Tigray Region of northern Ethiopia, situated near the base of the Adwa mountains at an elevation of 2,131 metres (6,991 feet). It was the historic capital of the Aksumite Empire, one of the ancient world's great trading civilizations, and its archaeological remains were added to UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1980. Visitors today can explore towering stone stelae, ancient tombs, and churches that are among the oldest in Africa, including the hilltop monastery of Abba Pantaleon, which local tradition associates with sacred manuscripts. The city is regarded by Ethiopian Orthodox Christians as the spiritual heart of their faith and, most famously, as the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant — a claim that drew Gates here for a deep dive into one of the Bible's greatest unsolved mysteries. In Season 3 of Expedition Unknown, Gates travels to Axum to investigate whether the Ark, said to have been carried from Jerusalem by Menelik I, son of Solomon, truly resides here — and whether anyone can get close enough to find out.
The Aksumite Empire rises as a major trading power, with Axum as its capital connecting the Red Sea trade routes to sub-Saharan Africa
King Ezana converts to Christianity, making the Aksumite Empire one of the first states in the world to adopt the religion as its official faith
Aksumite power declines; Axum loses its role as a political capital but retains enormous religious significance
UNESCO designates Axum's archaeological sites as a World Heritage Site
Gates investigates the Ark of the Covenant claim in Axum, airing as Expedition Unknown S03E12
In the episode, Gates consults local historian Sisay Tsegay, who walks him through the core Ethiopian account: that Menelik I, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, returned to Jerusalem as an adult, and a high priest received a divine vision that Menelik should carry the Ark back to Ethiopia. This narrative is drawn from the Kebra Nagast — a 14th-century Ethiopian text meaning 'Glory of Kings' — rather than the Hebrew Bible, which is silent on the Ark's fate after the destruction of the First Temple. Tsegay's role in the episode is to ground the tradition in its proper cultural and textual context rather than to assert it as archaeological fact.
Mainstream historians and archaeologists broadly agree that the Aksumite Empire was one of the most significant civilizations of the ancient world, a sophisticated state that controlled key Red Sea trade routes and was among the earliest to adopt Christianity as a state religion. The stelae fields, royal tombs, and early churches of Axum are well-documented and undisputed. What remains genuinely debated — and actively unresolvable by conventional archaeology — is the Ark claim itself, since the object said to be the Ark is kept under strict religious custodianship and has never been made available for examination by outside researchers.
The Ark of the Covenant's fate is one of history's most enduring open questions. Some scholars point to the Books of Kings and Chronicles, which describe the Ark in the Temple of Solomon but do not record its removal; others have proposed it was hidden before the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem in c. 587 BC. The Ethiopian claim is taken seriously by scholars of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity as a living tradition of deep antiquity, but without access to the object itself, no independent verification is possible — a fact Gates acknowledges rather than sidesteps.
What Gates' episode contributes is a respectful, on-the-ground look at how the Axum tradition is maintained and believed by the Ethiopian people themselves. By climbing to Abba Pantaleon and viewing manuscript evidence with Sisay Tsegay, Gates demonstrates that this is not folklore but a living, institutionally supported conviction. The episode is honest that it cannot resolve the question — Gates never claims to have seen or confirmed the Ark — but it gives viewers a serious window into why Axum remains, as Gates puts it, 'ground zero for modern seekers of the lost Ark.'
Axum sits at an elevation of 2,131 metres (6,991 feet) near the base of the Adwa mountains in northern Ethiopia.
UNESCO added Axum's archaeological sites to its World Heritage list in 1980 in recognition of their historic value.
The Ethiopian claim that the Ark of the Covenant resides in Axum is rooted in the Kebra Nagast, a 14th-century Ethiopian text meaning 'Glory of Kings,' which is considered a foundational scripture of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.
Coffee is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, and as Gates discovers on camera in Axum, the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony involves roasting and grinding beans fresh — in one case, with a piece of rebar — in an elaborate ritual far removed from the modern grab-and-go cup.
Axum is generally accessible to visitors and has historically been a leading tourist destination in Ethiopia, though travelers should check current advisories given the impact of the Tigray War that began in 2020. Key sites include the Stelae Park, the St. Mary of Zion church complex (which houses the chapel said to contain the Ark), and the hilltop monastery of Abba Pantaleon. Note that access to the Ark itself is restricted by religious custodians and is not open to the public or outside researchers.
The nearest major city is Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray Region, located approximately 250 kilometres southeast of Axum. The town also has its own small airport with connections to Addis Ababa.
The best time to visit Axum is generally during the dry season, from October through February, when the highland climate is cooler and more comfortable for exploring outdoor archaeological sites. The Ethiopian Orthodox festival of Timkat (Epiphany) draws large celebrations to Axum and can offer a vivid cultural experience, though crowds will be significantly larger.
UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed 1980)
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the city from which Ethiopian tradition holds that Menelik I removed the Ark of the Covenant, making it the direct origin point of the Axum investigation in S03E12.
Kingdom of Kush Pyramid Tombs
The Kingdom of Kush Pyramid Tombs represent another major ancient African civilization investigated by Gates, offering regional and thematic context for the Aksumite Empire's place in African history.
Holy Land
The Holy Land connects directly to the biblical and historical threads Gates pursues in the Ark investigation, including the Temple of Solomon and the origin of the Ark narrative.
Historical data sourced from Wikipedia