The oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments was sold for over $5 million in New York, Sotheby’s auction house announced on Wednesday.
The marble slab weighs 52kg and dates back to somewhere between 300AD and 800AD. Written in Paleo-Hebrew script, it fetched $5,040,000, exceeding the auction house’s initial estimate of $1 to $2 million.
This significant tablet was discovered during railway excavations along Israel’s southern coast in 1913. At first, it wasn’t recognized for its historical importance and was used as a paving stone in a local home. In 1943, it was sold to a scholar who realized its true value, according to Sotheby’s.
Richard Austin, head of books and manuscripts at Sotheby’s, described the tablet as a vital historical relic.
“This incredible tablet is more than just a piece of history, it connects us to the core beliefs that shaped Western civilization. It’s a shared piece of cultural heritage that links us to the origins of humanity’s enduring moral codes.”
The tablet’s text follows Biblical verses familiar to Christian and Jewish traditions but has some differences. It skips the third commandment against taking the Lord’s name in vain and includes a unique directive to worship on Mount Gerizim, a site sacred to the Samaritans.
This ancient artefact is a remarkable link to history, faith, and the foundations of Western civilization.
