A table of the Ten Commandments in the version adopted by the ancients Samaritans was beaten by Sotheby’s for further five million dollars: a staggering figure that multiplied the minimum starting estimate five times, despite some doubts about theauthenticity emerged on the eve ofauction. The table of stoneaccording to Sotheby’s, is the oldest known on which the Decalogue.
«It is not only an important historical artifact, but a link with the faiths who helped shape civilization western», he commented Richard Austin of the Department of Ancient Books and Manuscripts of Sotheby’s.
Dating back to late Byzantine periodthe table has approx 1,500 years. Heavy approx 50 kilos and tall 60 centimetresthe slab of marble registered in Paleo-Hebrew was discovered in 1913 during railway excavations along the southern coast of Israel close to ancient sites synagogues, mosques And he asked.
The importance of the discovery remained misunderstood for many decades, he reports Sotheby’sand for thirty years the slab served as part of the flooring at the entrance of a local house with the inscription facing upwards and exposed to pedestrian traffic. In the 1943 it was sold to the scholar Jacob Kaplan who identified him as a Samaritan Decaloguecontaining i divine precepts central for many faiths and probably originally exhibited in a building of worship or in a private home.
The original site was probably destroyed during the invasions between 400 and 600 AD or subsequent ones crusades of the 11th century.
It was the absence of real context documented archaeologically which raised doubts among some experts: «Objects from this region of the world are full of false», he said to New York Times Brian Danielsdirector of programs at Penn Cultural Heritage Center of Philadelphia. The twenty lines of text engraved on the stone they follow the verses closely biblical familiar and traditional Christian That Jewish. The table contains however only nine of the commandments reported in Book of Exodusomitting the admonition «Do not pronounce the name of Lord in vain». A new one is included instead precept: the invitation to worship God on Mount Gerizima particularly sacred place for the Samaritans.
After the death of Kaplanthe plate ended up in one Israeli gallery and then to Living Torah Museum in Brooklyn. In the 2016 it was purchased by the collector Mitchell Cappell For 850 thousand dollars. AND Cappell who put the Decalogue to the enchantment.