The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most searched for artifacts in history. What was its purpose? What do you think happened to it?

The Ark of the Covenant had the stone tablets with the commandments in it, It was used to communicate with God and it is said that he would appear over it when priests came to it. It is hard to say what happened to it since there is not much evidence to say it ever existed. Even if it did exists it most likely had no magical powers