Toddler discovers 3,800-year-old Egyptian scarab from Bronze Age in Israel family outing
A three-year-old girl from Israel found a rock during their family trip, and little did she know that it's a 3,800-year-old Egyptian amulet from the Bronze Age.
In a Facebook post on April 1, the Israel Antiques Authority said Ziv Nitzan found the relic in Moshav Ramot Meir town, specifically at the foot of Tel Azeka. In the Bible, the tel was a key feature in the battle scene between David and Goliath, as described in the Book of Samuel.
“We were walking along the path, and then Ziv bent down–and out of all the stones around her, she picked up this particular stone,” Ziv's sister Omer Nitzan told the IAA. "When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it, we saw something was different about it."
Realizing that the "beautiful stone" was an "archaeological find," Omer said they immediately reported it to the IAA.
Daphna Ben-Tor, an expert in ancient amulets and seals, said the seal is a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age (2,000 to 1,550 BCE).
“Scarabs were used in this period as seals and as amulets," Ben-Tor said. "They were found in graves, in public buildings and in private homes. Sometimes they bear symbols and messages, that reflect religious beliefs or status.”
The IAA noted that scarab seals are tiny, ornate objects originating in ancient Egypt and designed in the shape of a dung beetle.
Ancient Egyptians considered scarabs (dung beetles) sacred, believing they symbolize new life because of the dung ball they create and lay their eggs in.
The name scarab is also derived from the verb “to come into being" or “to be created," serving as a symbol of the incarnation of God the Creator, according to the IAA.
Oded Lipschits, director of Tel Aviv University's archeological team, which does excavations in Tel Azeka, met with Ziv's family to talk about her discovery.
“The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered here, which attest to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period," Lipschits said.
He noted that they've been excavating in the area for 15 years, and they've since revealed findings from the days of the Judahite Kingdom, including city walls and agricultural installations.
"Excavation findings show that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages, here in Tel Azekah, thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands,” he said.
Israeli Minister of Heritage Amichai Eliyahu said Ziv's discovery connects them "to a grand story" of ancient civilizations that lived thousands of years ago.
"The scarab Ziv found also reminds us that in the Land of Israel, even children can be a part of discovering history," Eliyahu said.
The IAA awarded Ziv a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship.
Her discovery will be included in an IAA-organized special display for Passover at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel.
