A 4-year-old boy accidentally knocked over a Bronze Age jar while visiting a museum in Israel, shattering the priceless artifact that had remained intact for at least 3,500 years.
The jar, believed to be from between 2,200 and 1,500 BC, was kept in the open near the entrance of the Hecht Museum in Haifa because the museum believes there is a “special charm” in showing archaeological finds “without obstructions” like glass screens.
The unidentified boy was visiting with his family on Friday when he “pulled the jar slightly” because he was “curious about what was inside” — sending it shattering to the ground, his father, Alex, told the BBC.
The dad said he was “in shock” to see his young son next to the shattered pieces, but said he assumed “It wasn’t my child that did it.”
However, a security guard soon told him what had happened, the horrified dad said.
The Hecht Museum was amazingly understanding about the accident — and even invited the child and his family back for an organized tour.
“There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police,” Lihi Laszlo from the museum told the BBC.
“In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly.”
The museum has also hired a conservation specialist to restore the jar, which officials say will return to be viewed “in a short time.”
The boy’s father said the family was “relieved” to hear that the jar would be mended, but that they were still sorry because “it will no longer be the same item.”
The jar, which predates the Biblical King David and King Solomon, was likely used to carry supplies like wine or olive oil, museum officials said.
Similar items of pottery recovered from this era are usually found broken or incomplete, making the once intact jar “an impressive find” when it was discovered, the museum said.
The museum, located on the grounds of the University of Haifa in northern Israel, collects archaeology and art.