NEW YORK -- A remarkable piece of history, the oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments, will be auctioned at Sotheby's in New York on December 18. Dating from 300 to 800 A.D., this 155-pound marble slab features inscriptions in Paleo-Hebrew script.
The tablet was discovered during railroad excavations along the southern coast of Israel in 1913, initially overlooked for its historical significance. It served as a paving stone in a local home until 1943, when a scholar recognized its importance.
What makes this tablet particularly intriguing is the omission of the third commandment against taking the name of the Lord in vain. Instead, it includes a directive for worship on Mount Gerizim, a site revered by Samaritans.
Sotheby's has estimated that the tablet will fetch between $1 million and $2 million at auction, drawing significant interest from collectors and scholars alike.