An accident by a 4-year-old boy resulted in a museum artifact being severely damaged.
During a recent trip to Israel’s Hecht Museum with his parents, the boy smashed a 3,500-year-old jar from the Bronze Age that was on display without being behind protective glass.
In an interview the boy’s father, Alex, recounted the incident.
“My initial reaction was denial. I couldn’t believe it was my son who did it,” he said.
His father explained that initially his son was curious if anything was inside the jar and then “pulled the jar slightly … that’s how the jar tipped over and fell.”
The Hecht Museum said decision to display certain artifacts without protective glass, as the museum’s founder, Reuben Hecht, wanted to ensure that artifacts were publicly accessible.
“The museum believes there is a special charm in experiencing an archaeological find without any obstructions,” Dr. Inbal Rivlin, Hecht Museum’s general manager, said, confirming that despite the jar being smashed, the practice would continue.
There are however plans to restore the jar.
“Given the photographic documentation of the jar and familiarity with its form, the jar will be returned to its place in a short time,” Dr. Rivlin.
The parents said they expected to be scolded or punished in some way for the accident, but the opposite happened.
“Instead of imposing fines or punishment, they invited us to visit again,” the father said.
The jar is dated to the Middle Bronze Age, between 2200-1500 BCE. It predates the time of King David and King Solomon and is characteristic of the Canaan region. It was intended for the storage and transport of local supplies, mainly wine and olive oil.”
