In Raiders of the Lost Ark, what artifact do the Nazis seek in the Well of the Souls?

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Nazis seek the Ark of the Covenant in the Well of the Souls.

The Well of the Souls is a hidden chamber beneath the ancient city of Tanis in Egypt. Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood enter the chamber and discover the Ark, while snakes fill the space and create one of the film’s most recognizable dangers.

The Ark is a biblical chest said in the film to contain the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. The Nazis, led by René Belloq and operating under German authority, believe its supernatural power could help them win the war.

The Ark should not be confused with the Holy Grail, which drives the plot of The Last Crusade, or the crystal skull sought in the fourth film. Each major Indiana Jones adventure centers on a different legendary object.