The world’s oldest known stone tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments was sold at auction for more than $5 million on Wednesday, Sotheby’s announced. The 155-pound marble slab, dating back to between 300 and 800 A.D., was purchased by an anonymous buyer who intends to donate it to an Israeli institution.
The auction, hosted by the New York-based Sotheby’s, exceeded its estimated presale price of $1 million to $2 million after over ten minutes of intense global bidding. The tablet, inscribed in Paleo-Hebrew script, is recognized as the only complete example of its kind from antiquity.
The slab was unearthed in 1913 during railroad excavations along Israel’s southern coast. Initially unrecognized for its importance, it was repurposed as a paving stone in a local home. In 1943, it was sold to a scholar who understood its historical significance.
Sotheby’s described the artifact as “a tangible link to ancient beliefs that have profoundly shaped global religious and cultural traditions.”
While the text follows the Biblical verses known to Christian and Jewish traditions, it omits the third commandment against taking the Lord’s name in vain. Instead, it includes a directive to worship on Mount Gerizim, a sacred site for the Samaritan community.
This unique directive highlights the tablet’s connection to Samaritan religious practices, offering a rare insight into their ancient traditions.
The record-breaking sale reinforces the tablet’s value as a significant historical and cultural relic, preserving a direct link to ancient religious heritage.
