In Raiders of the Lost Ark, what artifact does Indiana Jones seek in 1936?

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones seeks the Ark of the Covenant in 1936.

The Ark is a biblical chest associated with the ancient Israelites. In the film’s story, Nazi agents search for it because Adolf Hitler’s regime believes that the artifact could make an army invincible. Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood race against them through Egypt and other locations to find it first.

The movie combines archaeological adventure with supernatural mythology. The Ark’s final opening is treated as a dangerous revelation rather than a conventional treasure discovery, and its power overwhelms those who look upon it. This makes the object more than a historical prize: it is the central supernatural force of the film’s climax.

The Ark is distinct from the Holy Grail, which becomes the main artifact in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The Crystal Skull belongs to a later Indiana Jones film. Raiders of the Lost Ark is specifically built around the Ark of the Covenant, making that title object the unambiguous answer.