Boy Accidentally Smashes Museum’s 3,500-Year-Old Jar Valued For ‘Impressive’ Condition

An estimated 3,500-year-old jar weighted for its “impressive” intact information and ample size was precocious smashed to pieces wrong an archeological museum successful Israel aft being inspected by a child.

The ancient jar, which dated to nan Middle Bronze Age betwixt 2200 and 1500 B.C., accidentally fell while connected show astatine nan University of Haifa’s Hecht Museum, nan museum’s wide manager, Dr. Inbal Rivlin, said successful a statement.

“It predates nan clip of King David and King Solomon and is characteristic of nan Canaan region,” Rivlin said astir nan artifact, noting that nan “impressive find” was utilized to carrier supplies for illustration vino and oliva oil. “Similar jars person been recovered successful archaeological excavations, but astir were recovered surgery aliases incomplete.”

The ample clay jar, which dated to nan Middle Bronze Age, is seen still intact successful nan near photo.

Hecht Museum

The jar had been connected show among others adjacent nan museum’s entranceway and wasn’t protected by glass, pinch Rivlin explaining nan depository believes there’s a “special charm” successful having items connected position without obstructions.

The boy’s father, Alex, told nan BBC that his 4-year-old was “curious astir what was inside” and “pulled nan jar slightly,” causing it to fall. (The begetter was identified by only his first sanction successful nan report.)

Upon seeing his boy opinionated adjacent to nan pieces, he said he was shocked and instantly thought that “it wasn’t my kid that did it.” He past consoled his boy and said pinch a information defender astir nan incident.

The depository said it has invited nan kid and his family backmost to nan depository aft nan jar is fixed to thief “sweeten” their erstwhile experience.

Hecht Museum

The depository said it has already contacted a conservation master to repair nan jar and that nan kid and his family person been encouraged to travel backmost to nan depository and spot it erstwhile repaired to thief “sweeten” their erstwhile experience.

“There are instances wherever show items are intentionally damaged, and specified cases are treated pinch awesome severity, including involving nan police. In this case, however, this was not nan situation,” Rivlin said successful her statement.

The harm will besides beryllium utilized arsenic a learning opportunity, she said, pinch plans to archive its repair for nan nationalist to see.