The Ten Commandments stone tablets made during the Roman-Vizantine period 1,500 years ago were sold for $5.04 million and 7.3 billion won at a Sotheby's auction in New York on the 18th local time.
Sotheby's said it was sold to an anonymous buyer who planned to donate to an Israeli agency at a price that exceeded its top expectation amid fierce bidding competition.
The stone tablet, which weighs about 52 kg and is about 61 cm high, was found in southern Israel as of 1913, but was not recognized for its historical value at the time and was used as a road seat for decades.
The stone tablets fell into the hands of a scholar who only recognized their value in 1943, and now only nine of the ten commandments of the Hebrew language of Exodus remain.
However, some experts question the source and authenticity of the lithographs, saying there is no objectively verifiable source like the one found during the documented archaeological excavation.
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