Decalogue

The first words of the Ten Commandments are carved and gilt in raised lettering set against a deep blue background. The edges of the Tablets are also gilt, as are portions of the crown surmounting the tablets. The remainder of the crown is painted red.
Carved plaques of the Ten Commandments were generally set above the Torah ark of the Danzig synagogues, as can be seen from photographs of the Great Synagogue and from the engraving of the interior of the Mattenbuden Synagogue. According to Dr. Erwin Lichtenstein, this set came from the Schottland Synagogue, which was built in 1818. The practice of placing the Tablets of the Law above the ark in European synagogues can be traced back only to the 17th century.