Earliest known stone version of Ten Commandments up for auction

[Kuntantee]

Israel should get it, they're the leading in terms of commandment violations.

[PACOX]

Why not give it to a museum or a law school?

I know some people can't wait to tell us how anti-religious they are but their is archaeological, literary, cultural, and legal significance to the stone.

[derpkitteh]

it's quite a piece of history. so much death surrounding it.

i'd prefer it be locked somewhere safe, away from any that might damage it. ancient relics should always be preserved to the best of our ability.

[Azadina]

Paah, i would buy it just to shatter it. Period

That's what Jihadists were doing in Syria. Destroying historical sites and artifacts. Think of that for a moment.

[Annoying]

That's what Jihadists were doing in Syria. Destroying historical sites and artifacts. Think of that for a moment.

*insert "it belongs in a museum!" snippet here*

[cubby]

Anyone planning on making a bid?

Would be great to have the kind of casual money to bid and win, then take it to somewhere like the SC courthouse and bust it against a tree.

[Deleted]

Paah, i would buy it just to shatter it. Period

Shattering quite important historical artifacts. So edgy.

[Azgraal]

Shattering quite important historical artifacts. So edgy.

Looking back at how many lives were terminated and enslaved by the followup to this stone, I'd say shattering them would make for a great symbolic action.

[Deleted]

Looking back at how many lives were terminated and enslaved by the followup to this stone, I'd say shattering them would make for a great symbolic action.

No it wouldn't. Like Linadra said, it is basically doing what Jihadists in Syria were doing - deliberately destroying valuable pieces of history.

[Kaleredar]

Looking back at how many lives were terminated and enslaved by the followup to this stone, I'd say shattering them would make for a great symbolic action.

Careful with that edge; you'll scare the children.

I mean it's estimated that Genghis Khan killed 10% of the world's population at the time in his conquering. We'd best go and destroy all remnants of him as well, right? It would send a powerful message, would it not?

[Kalis]

Shattering quite important historical artifacts. So edgy.

It's not really that important. It was written about a thousand years after the 10 Commandments were laid down, so it is interesting, but not really much more significant than a modern edition of Shakespeare's plays.

[Azgraal]

No it wouldn't. Like Linadra said, it is basically doing what Jihadists in Syria were doing - deliberately destroying valuable pieces of history.

The big difference is that ISIS are destroying remnants of a lost civilization, whose costumes and religion has been lost aeons ago. That, in my opinion, would be something worth saving as the only maximum value it holds for anyone alive is that of an historical artifact.

Something related to Judaism, a religion that is still very much alive and with such a firmly held grasp on our society deserves no protection whatsoever.

This is my point of view: while a religion and culture is still around and kicking, ostracising and curbing people to the will of some zealots and archaic rules, then nothing related to it is "endangered", and we shouldn't go out of our way to protect it.

[Ratyrel]

It's not really that important. It was written about a thousand years after the 10 Commandments were laid down, so it is interesting, but not really much more significant than a modern edition of Shakespeare's plays.

It is however quite an interesting piece of evidence (together with the other decalogues) for the local Samaritan form of Judaism. In any case it doesn't deserve to be smashed.

[Azgraal]

Careful with that edge; you'll scare the children.

I mean it's estimated that Genghis Khan killed 10% of the world's population at the time in his conquering. We'd best go and destroy all remnants of him as well, right? It would send a powerful message, would it not?

Is Genghis Khan still alive and interfering with people's lives? If so, yes, let's destroy Khan's ressurrected mummy.

[Kalis]

It is however quite an interesting piece of evidence (together with the other decalogues) for the local Samaritan form of Judaism. In any case it doesn't deserve to be smashed.

I wouldn't advocate smashing it, but as far as archaeology goes, even Biblical archaeology, it is on a "Ooh, that's nice" level.

[Ratyrel]

I wouldn't advocate smashing it, but as far as archaeology goes, even Biblical archaeology, it is on a "Ooh, that's nice" level.

You're right of course, I'm not disagreeing with you

[Deleted]

It should be on display in a museum.

If you had actually read the post: the auction has a stipulation that the buyer must display it in public.

Kinda wondering who sells this kind of thing, arnt most relics automatically owned by the country that it is found in meaning this should belong to the state of palestine?

[jimboa24]

If you had actually read the post: the auction has a stipulation that the buyer must display it in public.

Kinda wondering who sells this kind of thing, arnt most relics automatically owned by the country that it is found in meaning this should belong to the state of palestine?

Countries often sell relics.

As for the kind of people who would be in the market for this, a lot of rich people buy artifacts and relics of historical significance and loan them to museums, and the museums that display them always have the owner's name attached. It's another way that rich people like to collect things while simultaneously bragging about their wealth, and also doing it in the name of public interest.

"Hey everyone, look at this extremely old thing I bought. Isn't it cool?"

[Espe]

Always interesting to see how cults evolve over time.

I bet if you buy up some Scientology stuff now while it's cheap in a few hundred years your descendants will be loaded!

[Deleted]

Countries often sell relics.

As for the kind of people who would be in the market for this, a lot of rich people buy artifacts and relics of historical significance and loan them to museums, and the museums that display them always have the owner's name attached. It's another way that rich people like to collect things while simultaneously bragging about their wealth, and also doing it in the name of public interest.

"Hey everyone, look at this extremely old thing I bought. Isn't it cool?"

Well in this article, it is mentioned that it wasnt in fact sold by the country, instead it was picked up by an archeologist, hence it most likely being stolen, considering the aforementioned.