Additional Coverage:
- A 5-year-old accidentally smashed a 3,500-year-old artifact on a museum trip in every parent’s worst nightmare (newsbreak.com)
At the Hecht Museum in Haifa, a young boy accidentally destroyed a 3,500-year-old Bronze Age jar during a visit. The ancient artifact, which had been a part of the museum’s collection for 35 years, was unprotected by glass barriers, a decision made to enhance visitor engagement with historical items.
The jar, from between 2200 BC and 1500 BC, has significant historical importance, potentially used to store and transport essentials like wine and olive oil. Despite its rarity and the unfortunate incident, the museum has opted against punishing the child, treating the event as an accident.
Museum spokesperson Lihi Laszlo from the University of Haifa, which operates the Hecht Museum, differentiated between accidental damage and intentional vandalism, the latter involving much stricter consequences, including legal action. Museum director Inbal Rivlin emphasized their ongoing commitment to making archaeological artifacts accessible to the public, even if it means risks like this one.
The family of the boy has been invited back to the museum for a special tour, and a professional conservator is expected to repair the jar soon. The Hecht Museum continues to stand by its policy of artifact accessibility without physical barriers.