A boy visiting a museum in Israel accidentally knocked over a 3,500-year-old jar, breaking the relic.
“There are cases where exhibits are intentionally damaged and such cases are dealt with very severely, even involving the police,” Lihi Laszlo of the Hecht Museum told the BBC.
“But in this case that was not the case,” Laszlo said. “The jar was accidentally damaged by a small child visiting the museum and the response will be accordingly.”
The jar dates back to the Bronze Age, between 2200 and 1500 BC (before the time of Kings David and Solomon), and is completely intact, making it a rare find and a valuable artifact. Experts have speculated that the jar may have contained local supplies, such as wine and olive oil.
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A preschooler accidentally broke a nearly 3,500-year-old jar that was not behind glass at the Hecht Museum in Haifa. (Hecht Museum)
The museum, located in Haifa, had placed the piece on display near the entrance and without protection in order to display a piece “without obstructions.”
The boy pulled on the jar to see what was inside, and as a result it fell and broke into a thousand pieces. The museum immediately hired a conservation specialist to restore the jar, which will be returned to its place near the main entrance once completed.
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The 3,500-year-old jar was accidentally broken by a 4-year-old boy visiting the Hecht Museum last Friday. (Hecht Museum)
The museum insisted that the piece will also return unhindered.
Israeli museums are no strangers to incidents that destroy priceless works: an American tourist allegedly vandalized a sculpture at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem in October last year.
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The Hecht Museum did not place the 3,500-year-old jar behind glass, believing there is a “special charm” in displaying historical finds without obstructions. (Hecht Museum)
The tourist allegedly destroyed a pair of 2nd century Roman statues because they were “contrary to the Torah.” His lawyer, however, denied that he had acted out of “religious fanaticism.”
One statue depicted Athena, daughter of Zeus, and the other depicted a griffin clutching the wheel of fate of the Roman god Nemesis, according to The Times of Israel.
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Police arrested the tourist on the spot, identifying him only as a 40-year-old Jewish American tourist.
