Earliest known stone carving of Ten Commandments sold for $850,000

The stone was sold with a stipulation that the owner must put the tablet on public display

The earliest known and intact tablet inscription of the Ten Commandments sold at a Beverly Hills auction Wednesday for $850,000.

Described as Israel's "national treasure", the stone was first uncovered in 1913 during excavations for a railroad station in Israel and is the only intact tablet version of the Commandments thought to exist.

The auctioneers believe that the artifact dates between 300 and 500AD during the Roman or Byzantine era. The two-foot-square marble slab is inscribed in an early Hebrew script called Samaritan. It lists nine of the 10 commonly known Biblical Commandments from the Book of Exodus, with an additional Commandment to worship on the sacred mountain of Mount Gerizim, near Nablus, which is a now a city in the West Bank.

"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in Vain" was deliberately left off the list to keep the total number of Commandments to 10, according to scholars.



Ten CommandmentsIt also most likely the reason why such a historic artifact was sold for a fairly affordable price.

"The tablet's significance is testament to the deep roots and enduring power of the Commandments that still form the basis of three of the world's great religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam," said David Michaels, director of ancient coins for Heritage Auctions.

“We seek either an institutional buyer or a private one who will agree to exhibit the 10 Commandments Stone so that all can see, enjoy and learn from it,” said Michaels said, while talking to CNN.