Ancient 10 Commandments Tablet Discovered in Israel Goes to Auction

An ancient tablet inscribed with the Ten Commandments is expected to catch a price of at least $1 million when it goes to auction today at Sotheby’s.

Dating somewhere between 300 to 800 A.D., the tablet bears inscriptions in Paleo-Hebrew script, weighs 115 pounds and stands two feet tall. It represents one of the earliest known complete versions of the biblical text still in existence.

The tablet’s journey to the auction block is as fascinating as its origins. For decades, the precious artifact served as a humble paving stone in a residential home in Israel before a scholar recognized its significance and purchased it in 1943. Remarkably, the text remained legible despite years of foot traffic wearing down its center.

However, there is heated debate over the tablet’s authenticity among scholars. Brian I. Daniels, who directs research at the Penn Cultural Heritage Center, notes the lack of documentation from the discovery raises red flags for experts, who point out that elaborate “discovery stories” often accompany fake artifacts to make them seem more legitimate.

“It’s not uncommon for spectacular finds to have elaborately embellished stories of discovery,” Daniels tells the New York Times. “Since pillagers and forgers often concoct such stories to give an inscription an aura of authenticity, this story could actually just be a tall tale told by a forger or some antiquities dealer.”

Adding to the skepticism, the tablet’s text deviates from traditional versions as it’s missing the third commandment about taking God’s name in vain, replacing it with an unusual instruction to worship at Mount Gerizim. Christopher Rollston, a leading expert from George Washington University, suggests this kind of error is common for inscriptional forgeries.

“Forgers during the past 150 years, when they fabricate their forgeries, often throw in surprising content. And they do this so as to garner more interest in their forgery,” he says. “Sotheby’s is stating that this Samaritan Ten Commandments inscription is circa 1,500 years old. But there is no way that this can be known. After all, these were not found on an archaeological excavation.”

Regardless, the tablet’s survival through centuries of history, including its unlikely role as a paving stone, makes it an extraordinary piece of cultural heritage that bridges ancient religious traditions with modern times.” (JBN)

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