A marble tablet with the Ten Commandments. SOTHEBY'S

A 52kg marble tablet believed to be the oldest inscription of the Ten Commandments will be auctioned on December 18. The artifact, dated between 300AD and 800AD, could fetch between $1 million and $2 million, according to Sotheby’s auction house. The tablet, inscribed in Paleo-Hebrew script, was discovered in 1913 during railroad excavations in Israel. Initially dismissed as insignificant, it was later identified as a rare historical treasure. What makes this artifact unique is its deviation from traditional commandments, with the omission of the directive against taking the Lord’s name in vain. Instead, it includes instructions to worship on Mount Gerizim, a sacred Samaritan site. “This tablet is not only a religious artifact but a cultural bridge to ancient civilizations,” said David Michaels, Sotheby’s expert on ancient inscriptions. ICA/Expat Media
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