A 4-year-old boy accidentally knocked over a 3,500-year-old jar at the Hecht Museum in Israel. The ancient artifact, dating back to the Bronze Age, will be restored and returned to display.
Bollywood Fever: A visit to a museum in Israel took an unexpected turn when a young boy accidentally smashed a 3,500-year-old jar. The ancient artifact, which dates back to the Bronze Age between 2,200 and 1,500 BC, had been on display at the Hecht Museum in Haifa for 35 years before the four-year-old knocked it over last Friday.

The jar was displayed near the entrance of the museum without protective glass, as museum administrators believe that showcasing archaeological finds “without obstructions” adds a “special charm,” according to the BBC. The boy, curious about the contents of the jar, “pulled the jar slightly,” causing it to topple over, his father, Alex, explained.
Alex described his shock when he saw his son standing next to the shattered jar, initially unable to believe that his child was responsible. However, instead of reprimanding the boy, Museum Director Dr. Inbal Rivlin reassured the family, telling the child, “Don’t be afraid, we have no claim against you,” as reported by Sky News. She even invited the family back for an organized tour of the museum.

Lihi Laszlo, a content manager for the museum, emphasized that while intentional damage to display items is treated with severity and may involve the police, this was clearly an accident. The jar, believed to have been used to carry supplies like wine and olive oil, was discovered in Samaria, central Israel. It predates the time of Biblical figures like King David and King Solomon and is characteristic of the Canaan region of the eastern Mediterranean.
Museum officials noted that similar finds are often broken or incomplete when unearthed, making this jar an “impressive find” when it was discovered. A conservation specialist has now been appointed to restore the jar, and the museum expects it to be returned to its display area “in a short time.”

The boy’s father expressed relief that the jar will be restored, though he acknowledged that it “will no longer be the same item.” Despite the accident, museum officials remain committed to their tradition of displaying items “without barriers or glass walls,” in line with the museum founder’s vision of making artifacts as accessible as possible.
Dr. Rivlin, however, advises parents to guide their children during museum visits, reminding them that exhibits should not be touched unless it is explicitly allowed.
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