You don't need a doctorate in antiquities to know exactly what the Ark looked like including the measurements and what it's made out of. All you have to do is read Exodus 37 to get all the details. It's made from shittim wood (acacia) and covered in pure gold.
7 And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat;
8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
9 And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.
The position of their wings though were a question. It's hard to describe in text with no picture. Some think the wings were arranged more like a seat and others think more like in the pictured arc.
You don't need a doctorate in antiquities to know exactly what the Ark looked like including the measurements and what it's made out of. All you have to do is read Exodus 37 to get all the details. It's made from shittim wood (acacia) and covered in pure gold.
Acacia has some interesting mythology around it, to do with visions.
There is some discussion iirc of how the cherubim on top are oriented
That's explained in Exodus 37: 7-9
The position of their wings though were a question. It's hard to describe in text with no picture. Some think the wings were arranged more like a seat and others think more like in the pictured arc.