The oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments, dating between 300 and 800 A.D., is set to go under the hammer in New York this month, according to Sotheby’s auction house.
Weighing 155 pounds (52 kilograms), a marble slab featuring the ten commandments and written in Paleo-Hebrew script, will be auctioned on December 18, with estimates ranging from $1 million to $2 million.
The tablet’s remarkable journey began in 1913 when it was unearthed during railroad excavations along Israel's southern coast. Initially overlooked, it served as a paving stone in a local home for decades. In 1943, a scholar recognized its significance, rescuing it from obscurity, Sotheby’s explained.
Uniquely, the text deviates slightly from the traditional Biblical verses, omitting the third commandment against taking the Lord's name in vain. Instead, it includes a directive to worship on Mount Gerizim, a site sacred to the Samaritans.
The auction promises a historic opportunity for collectors and institutions to acquire this extraordinary artifact that bridges ancient history and religious tradition.
* The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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