Several evidences show that the tablet is dated to the late 11th or early 12th century (c. 1100 CE). The tablet's content suggests it was inscribed after the death of King Zvonimir (who died in 1089), since abbot Držiha describes Zvonimir's donation as an event that happened further in the past ("in his days").) who ruled over whole
Krajina (probably a reference to a local place on island of Krk or March of Dalmatia from the 1060s which was composed of part of Kvarner and the eastern coast of Istria), suggests the period of Croatian succession crisis of the 1090s and before the Venetian domination since 1116 and first mention of counts of Krk in 1118–1130 (later known as
Frankopan family).
Lujo Margetić considered it was erected by the same counts of Krk between 1105 and 1118. Desimir is identified with Desimir župan of Krbava mentioned in the 1078 charter of king Zvonimir, while Pribineg some scholars identified with Pirvaneg župan of Luka in 1059. Ornamental decoration of the tablet, and early
Romanesque (11–12th century) features of the church of St. Lucy similar to three other churches founded by 1100 on Krk also show it is dated at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries. Lately art historian Pavuša Vežić argued that the church is dated to the late Romanesque period (in the beginning of the 14th century) and Baška tablet text to 1300 with only ornamental decoration from 1100. Although new dating of the church was accepted by scholars like Margetić, they still considered it does not change the early 12th century dating of the whole tablet which features are "hardly possible" for the middle of the 12th century and "unimaginable" for the beginning of the 14th century. Scholars argue that the textual background for the inscription was made in the period between abbot Držiha and Dobrovit, probably based on the church's
cartulary. It is considered that the fact it was inscribed at once as one unit (
scriptura continua) rejects the thesis different rows were inscribed in two, three or four different periods as argued by
Franjo Rački (two, 1078 and 1092–1102),
Rudolf Strohal (four, between 1076 and 1120),
Ferdo Šišić (two, until 1100),
Vjekoslav Štefanić (three, between 1089 and 1116),
Josip Hamm (three, 1077/1079, end of the 11th century and around 1100),
Leo Košuta (three, similar to Hamm). The meaning of the opening lines is contested. While some scholars interpret the introductory characters simply as
Azъ ("I"), others believe that letters were also used to encode the year. There is no agreement, however, on the interpretation: 1100, 1077, 1079, 1105 and 1120 have been proposed. ==Significance==