The documentary L'Arche d'alliance, aux origines de la Bible will be broadcast on Arte on January 9. Professor Thomas Römer, Administrator of the Collège de France and holder of the Chair of The Hebrew Bible and its Contexts, presents his research on this major theme of the Hebrew Bible.
The film shows how a Franco-Israeli scientific mission, led by archaeologist Israel Finkelstein and Prof. Thomas Römer, excavated the hill of Kiriath-Jearim. According to the Bible, the Ark of the Covenant, the sacred chest containing the Tables of the Law, was stored there for 20 years, before being transferred to Jerusalem and disappearing forever. Several parts of the documentary were also filmed on the Marcelin-Berthelot site of the Collège de France, highlighting the holdings of its research libraries.
The fifty-two minute film, directed by Thierry Ragobert and produced by GEDEON Programmes, will also be available on the Arte platform from January 2 until March 9, 2021.
