Created approximately 1.500 years ago, the so-called “Samaritan Tablet” is considered the oldest stone inscription of the Ten Commandments.
Discovered in 1913 during a railway excavation near the present-day city of Yavneh, Israel, in its first decades it was used as a pavement at the entrance of a house, where it deteriorated until its inscription was translated in 1943 and its archaeological value was recognized.
The text contains 20 lines that reflect the commandments of Jewish tradition, with one significant difference: it does not include the commandment not to take God's name in vain, but instead instructs one to worship on Mount Gerizim.
Next month, Sotheby's will auction the tablet, which was ordered by Israel for two decades and only allowed the tablet to leave the country on condition that it remain on public display.
According to Sotheby's Judaica specialist Sharon Mintz, there is no legal obligation for the current sale to be publicly displayed, but the buyer is expected to respect this intention.
The Samaritan Tablet will be available for viewing at Sotheby's New York offices from December 5 to December 18, when the auction takes place.