A boy visiting a museum in Israel accidentally knocked over a 3,500-year-old jar, breaking the ancient artifact.
“There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police,” Lihi Laszlo of the Hecht Museum told the BBC.
“In this case, however, this was not the situation,” Laszlo said. “The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly.”
The jar, dating back to the Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500 B.C., predates the era of Kings David and Solomon. It was completely intact, making it a rare and valuable artifact, and experts believe it was likely used to store local goods like wine and olive oil.
The museum in Haifa had displayed the piece near the entrance without any protective barriers to present it “without obstructions.”
The boy pulled on the jar to see what was inside, causing it to topple and shatter. The museum promptly hired a conservation specialist to restore the jar, which will be returned to its spot near the entrance once the restoration is complete.
The museum emphasized that the jar will again be displayed without barriers.
Israeli museums have experienced similar incidents before: an American tourist reportedly broke a sculpture at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem in October last year.
The tourist allegedly damaged a pair of Roman statues from the 2nd century, claiming they were “against the Torah.” However, his lawyer denied that the act was motivated by “religious fanaticism.”
One statue portrayed Athena, daughter of Zeus, while the other featured a griffin holding the wheel of fate associated with the Roman god Nemesis, according to The Times of Israel.
Police apprehended the tourist at the scene, identifying him only as a 40-year-old Jewish American.