They wanted to show their child history, but he decided to rewrite it.
An unfortunate incident occurred at the Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa in Israel: a young visitor accidentally damaged a unique Bronze Age artifact. The child's father told the BBC that he initially couldn't believe what had happened. However, once his son calmed down, the man reported the incident to the museum staff.
The museum's management decided not to punish the child, as it was an accident. Lihi Laslo, the spokesperson for the University of Haifa, which oversees the museum, noted:
“There are instances of deliberate damage to exhibits. We take such situations very seriously, even involving the police.”
The amphora had been part of the museum's exhibition for 35 years. Experts date it to the Bronze Age, a period between 2200 and 1500 BC. This artifact predates the era of King David and was used for storing and transporting local products, primarily wine and olive oil.
Archaeologists have found similar jars during excavations, but most were broken or incomplete. This is why this intact specimen held special value. Inbal Rivlin, the museum director, explained why the amphora was placed at the entrance without glass protection:
“Our museum believes in the unique appeal of direct contact with archaeological finds. Despite this rare incident, the Hecht Museum will continue this tradition.”
Rivlin publicly invited the boy and his family for a guided tour of the museum this week, and they agreed to attend. A restoration specialist has already been assigned to repair the amphora.
Source: BBC, Science alert
Comments (0)
There are no comments for now