4-year-old boy 'driven by curiosity' accidentally breaks 3,500-year-old jar at museum

A curious 4-year-old boy managed to break a 3,500-year-old jar at a museum in Israel last week, prompting the museum to contact an expert who can restore the artifact.

The incident happened Friday at the Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa in Israel, Inbal Rivlin, Hecht Museum’s General Manager, confirmed to USA TODAY in a statement Thursday.

Rivlin said the boy was with his mother and father at the museum. The jar was located at the entrance of the museum and the boy was “driven by curiosity,” so he reached out to touch the jar, accidentally tipping it over.

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Jar from Middle Bronze Age will be restored

The jar dates back to the Middle Bronze Age, between 2200 and 1500 BCE, Rivlin said.

“It predates the time of King David and King Solomon and is characteristic of the Canaan region,” Rivlin said, adding that the jar was used to store and transport local supplies such as wine and olive oil.

Researchers have previously found similar jars during excavations, but they were already broken. The jar the 4-year-old boy broke was intact and larger than most others, making it “an impressive find,” Rivlin said.

The museum has already contacted someone to restore the jar – Roy Shafir from the University of Haifa's School of Archaeology and Marine Cultures. He specializes in conservation.

The jar will be restored and returned to the museum once it is complete, Rivlin said. The museum also plans to document the restoration process.

What will happen to the 4-year-old boy who broke the jar?

Rivlin has invited the child and his family to visit the museum again and see the jar once it is restored. The child’s family has already taken the museum up on its offer to return once the job is done. They will also get an organized tour.

While sometimes display items are damaged on purpose and staff contact police, this is not one of those cases, Rivlin said in her statement.

According to Rivlin, part of the museum’s mission is to make sure the public can see and learn about archaeological items, usually without barriers such as glass walls.

“The museum believes that there is a special charm in experiencing an archaeological find without any obstructions, and despite the rare incident with the jar, the Hecht Museum will continue this tradition,” Rivlin said in her statement.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 4-year-old boy 'driven by curiosity' accidentally breaks 3,500-year-old jar at museum