there are mysteries and there are mysteries. the new mexican stone carved version of ten commandments is a matter for the sleuths. the stone is also known as the los lunas inscription. with no individual or group having made claim to its creation, there is the great unknown. who wrote this version of the decalogue that was done with both paleo hebrew and other ancient lettering? was it the hand of the almighty?
many, who have researched the matter, suspect, professor frank hibbin, that the commandments discoverer had done the engraving. this individual, in the past, had been accused of planting or seeding an archeological site with artifacts. it is reported that he first found the stone in 1933. as such, many believe that these ten commandments are a hoax.
new mexico, however, had many mysteries with respect to the bible and judaism. new mexico communities have a populace of crypto jews. crypto, before its monetary use, applied to individuals whose families who maintained a hidden jewish heritage.
cryto jews trace themselves back to spain in 1492. they were forced to convert to catholicism or leave the country. the same occurred in portugal. some of those who remained in their countries or left made practiced their judaism in secret. overtime, the practice became customs passed down from generation to generation. “some families retain only suggestive practices, disconnected from any consciousness of a jewish past, such as the lighting of candles on friday night, observance of the sabbath on saturday, refraining from eating pork products, and male infant circumcision.” new mexico jewish historical society they most likely have been in new mexico since the mid-1600s.
there are some who wonder whether cryto jews may have carved out the ten commandments.
for those interested, there is an excellent presentation concerning the stone and who may have created it.
in sum, one interesting mystery in this matter is to whether the alleged hoaxer, professor frank hibbin, understood or appreciated new mexico’s centuries old jewish roots. his discovery was long before dna testing became available to allow the community. the coincidence of a possible hoax and reality is also a mystery.
be well!!
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The Ten Commandments Project 