A four-year-old boy recently returned to the Hecht Museum in Haifa after accidentally breaking a 3,500-year-old urn from the late Bronze Age. The ancient artefact was damaged last week while on display at the University of Haifa Museum. Despite the accident, Dr. Inbal Rivlin, the museum director, invited the child back for a guided tour to see the urn once it is fully restored. The jar was part of an open exhibit, reflecting the museum’s philosophy of allowing visitors to engage with history without glass barriers.
The urn, an exceptional piece from the Bronze Age (2200 to 1500 BC), was noted for its relatively intact condition. The BBC shared footage showing young Ariel Geller examining the artefact with his family. A museum official explained the restoration process to the family and detailed the urn’s history.
During the visit, Ariel’s mother recounted that her son had asked to see the jar just before the incident. The urn broke immediately after she asked him to step away. “It was just a destruction of a second,” she recalled.
Ariel also had the opportunity to participate in the restoration process, helping to piece together and repair a small broken jar using specialized tools.
Dr. Rivlin commented to Sky News, “In a similar manner to the repairs currently under way on the ancient jar, this is exactly what professionals do.”
The museum noted that the jar, which originates from the Canaan region and predates the era of Kings Solomon and David, was used for storing and transporting local goods such as olive oil and wine.
The University of Haifa’s campus features a free museum with various archaeological artefacts from the Chalcolithic to Byzantine periods.