Also known as the Ark of Jehovah and the Ark of the Testimony, the Ark of the Covenant was an oblong chest or box made of wood overlaid with gold. It was the oldest and most sacred of the religious symbols of the Israelites. The Mercy Seat which formed its covering was regarded as the earthly dwelling place of Jehovah (Ex. 25:22). Upon the completion of the temple, the ark was placed in the Holy of Holies, the most holy place in the structure (1 Kgs. 8:1–8).