5-year-old accidentally smashes 3,500-year-old artefact during museum trip in Israel
The jar, dating back to the Bronze Age, was displayed without glass barriers
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.
On a visit to the Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa in Israel, a 5-year-old’s father was shocked to see his son next to the shattered Bronze Age jar.
The boy’s father told the BBC that he first thought, “It wasn’t my child that did it,” but then told the museum guards what happened after his son had calmed down.
The museum said it would not punish the child for the incident as it was a genuine accident.
“There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police,” said Lihi Laszlo, a spokesperson for the University of Haifa, which operates the museum.
The jar has been at the museum for 35 years, Sky News reported.
The museum said it dates to the Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500 BC, predating the time of King David, and was intended for the storage and transport of local supplies, mainly wine and olive oil.