Mishap in Israel Boy destroys 3500-year-old jug - museum reacts coolly
A four-year-old accidentally smashes an ancient exhibit. The museum's director reacts impressively.
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- In an Israeli museum, a 4-year-old child accidentally destroyed a 3500-year-old jug.
- The find dates back to the Middle Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500 BC.
- However, the museum management refrains from imposing a fine. On the contrary: the child's family is invited to visit again.
During a visit to a museum in Haifa, Israel, a four-year-old child did what children do: destroyed something without meaning to. Unfortunately, it was an exhibit that was thousands of years old. However, according to the institution, it did not inform the police - but invited the child back to the museum for another tour.
"There are cases in which exhibits are deliberately damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including the involvement of the police," said Inbal Rivlin, Chief Executive of the Hecht Museum, in response to a dpa inquiry. "However, this was not the case in this instance. The jug was accidentally damaged by a small child visiting the museum and the response will be appropriate."
The four-year-old and his family have been invited to visit the museum again to see the restored piece. The family has already agreed to come this weekend, Rivlin said. A tour will be organized for them - to come to terms with the shared experience in a beautiful way. The museum did not provide any further details about the incident.
Museum deliberately does not want to show pieces behind glass
The museum's reaction may come as a surprise at first, but according to the museum, the vessel dates back to the Middle Bronze Age between 2200 and 1500 BC and is therefore at least 3500 years old. "Similar vessels have been found during archaeological excavations, but most of them turned out to be broken or incomplete," explained Rivlin. However, the piece on display was previously intact - and was considered "an impressive find" due to its size.
However, the institution has a clear stance: according to Rivlin, it "places particular emphasis on making archaeological objects accessible to the public - and whenever possible, the objects are displayed without barriers or glass walls. The museum believes that there is a special appeal to experiencing an archaeological find unhindered." This is not about to change.