Bronze Age jar smashed by 4-year-old boy back on display at Israeli museum
The jar in question predates the time of Kings David and Solomon
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An ancient jar is back on display at a museum in Israel nearly two weeks after a 4-year-old visitor accidentally smashed it late last month.
The jar dated back to the Bronze Age, between 2200 and 1500 B.C. — predating the time of Kings David and Solomon — and it was totally intact, making it a rare find and a valuable artifact.
While on display at the Hecht Museum in Haifa, the pint-sized visitor pulled on the artifact to see what was inside, and that caused it to fall over and shatter into pieces.
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The Associated Press reported that Alex Geller, the boy’s father, described his son — the youngest of three — as exceptionally curious. When Geller heard the crash, he confessed, the first thought to race through his head was, "Please let that not be my child."
BOY ACCIDENTALLY DESTROYS 3,500-YEAR-OLD ARTIFACT IN ISRAELI MUSEUM
A young preschooler accidentally shattered a nearly 3,500-year-old jar that was not behind glass at the Hecht Museum in Haifa. (Hecht Museum)
The museum immediately appointed a specialist to restore the jar so it could be returned to its spot near the front entrance of the museum.
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On Wednesday, the jar was back on display after being pieced together and restored.
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A rare bronze-era jar, newly reassembled, returned to public exhibition after a four-year-old accidentally broke it in August during a visit at the Hecht Museum of the University of Haifa, Israel, on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Oftentimes, when archaeologists piece together artifacts, they face the daunting task of sifting through piles of shards of multiple objects.
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But in this case, the repairs were expected to be fairly simple because the pieces were from a single and complete jar, museum restoration expert Roee Shair said.
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A rare bronze-era jar, newly reassembled, returned to public exhibition after a four-year-old accidentally broke it in August during a visit at the Hecht Museum of the University of Haifa, Israel, on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Using 3D technology, hi-resolution videos and special glue, experts were able to reconstruct the large jar.
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A few pieces were missing, and the gluing process left a few hairline cracks, but the impressive size of the jar remains.
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Bronze-era jar. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
The only major difference now is there is a new sign near the jar that reads, "Please don’t touch."
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Now that it is back on display, museum director Inbal Rivlin and the museum decided to turn the incident into a teachable moment and invited the Geller family back for a special hands-on visit to illustrate the restoration process.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.