Little boy does the unthinkable to rare 3500-year old artefact

A little boy on an excursion to a museum has done the unthinkable to an extremely rare 3500-year-old artefact.

An ancient 3500-year old jar has been smashed to pieces after a five-year old boy accidentally knocked it over during a museum visit.

The artefact dates back to the Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500 BC and was considered an extremely rare find as it was so intact.

The jar, which would have been used to carry wine or olive oil, had been on display near the entrance of The Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel, and did not have any protective glass surrounding it.

The little boy accidentally smashed one of the jars to pieces. Picture: Supplied / Hecht Museum

The reason for this is that the museum believes there is a “special charm” in showcasing archaeological finds “without obstructions”.

The boy’s father, Alex, told the BBC that his son had only “pulled the jar slightly” because he was “curious about what was inside”, causing it to fall to the ground.

The dad explained that he was “in shock” when he saw his son standing next to the smashed jar and first believed that there was no way that his child could have done such a thing.

However, after calming his child down, he spoke to a security guard, who confirmed what happened.

The museum stated they would not be charging the family or hold any grudges over the incident, and have even invited the young boy back to the exhibition for a special organised tour.

The jars are 3500 years old. Picture: Supplied / Hecht Museum

“There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police,” Lihi Laszlo from The Hecht Museum told the BBC.

“In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly.”

A conservation specialist has also been brought on board to help restore the jar, which will be returned to the same spot “in a short time”.

Alex said that while the family is “relieved” that the jar will be fixed, they added they are “sorry” because “it will no longer be the same item”.

The museum told the BBC that “whenever possible, items are displayed without barriers or glass walls”.

The museum does not believe in putting artefacts behind glass. Picture: Supplied / Hecht Museum

And “despite the rare incident” the museum said they intend to continue this tradition.

The 3500-year-old jar was likely originally used to carry local supplies, such as wine and olive oil.

It predates the time of the Biblical King David and King Solomon and is distinctive of the Canaan region on the eastern Mediterranean coast.

The museum added that similar pottery items found during archaeological digs are usually broken or incomplete when unearthed, making this intact jar “an impressive find” when it was discovered.

The Hecht Museum is in the grounds of the University of Haifa in northern Israel and collects items of archaeology and art.

Originally published as Little boy does the unthinkable to rare 3500-year old artefact