Ancient Ten Commandments Tablet to Be Auctioned with Public Display Condition

The 1,500-year-old artifact, discovered in Israel and featuring a unique Samaritan inscription, is expected to fetch up to $2 million at Sotheby's.

The tablet, weighing 115 pounds and two feet tall, is believed to be the oldest-known inscription of the Ten Commandments.
Discovered in 1913 near Israel's southern coast, it was initially used as a paving stone before its historical significance was recognized in 1943.
The tablet includes nine of the traditional Ten Commandments, replacing one with a directive to worship on Mount Gerizim, a Samaritan holy site.
Israel allowed the tablet's export 20 years ago on the condition it remains available for public display, a stipulation still in place for the auction.
The artifact will be on display at Sotheby's in New York from December 5 to 17, with the auction scheduled for December 18.