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5-Year-Old Accidentally Smashes 3,500-Year-Old Artifact in Museum Nightmare
Hecht Museum
A five-year-old accidentally smashed a 3,500-year-old jar at the Hecht Museum in Israel. The jar, dating back to the Bronze Age, was displayed without any glass barriers.
On a visit to the Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa, a 5-year-old’s father was shocked to see his son next to the shattered Bronze Age jar. The boy’s father shared with the BBC that his initial thought was, “It wasn’t my child that did it,” before informing the museum guards after calming his son down.
The museum stated that it would not punish the child for the incident as it was purely an accident. “There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police,” said Lihi Laszlo, a spokesperson for the University of Haifa, which operates the museum.
The jar had been at the museum for 35 years, according to Sky News. It dates back to the Bronze Age, between 2200 and 1500 BC, predating the time of King David. The jar was used for the storage and transport of local supplies, mainly wine and olive oil. Similar jars have been found in archaeological excavations, but most were broken or incomplete, making this jar particularly rare due to its intact condition.
The jar was displayed near the museum entrance without any glass barriers, an unusual practice for museums but one aligned with the founder’s vision to make archaeological items accessible to the public, said museum director Inbal Rivlin. “The museum believes that there is a special charm in experiencing an archaeological find without any obstructions, and despite the rare incident with the jar, the Hecht Museum will continue this tradition,” Rivlin stated.
Rivlin also publicly invited the boy and his family for a guided tour of the museum later this week, which they have agreed to attend. A specialist in conservation has been asked to restore the jar, and it is expected to be returned to its former state soon.
Source: BBC, Sky News, Business Insider
