During a recent family trip to Tel Azekah in Israel, 3-year-old Ziv Nitzan was walking alongside her family when she came across a stone. It turned out to be an ancient scarab amulet that dates back 3,800 years.
"Among the approximately 7,000 stones surrounding her, she selected just one. After brushing away the sand, she noticed that this particular stone was distinct from the others," explained Omer Nitzan, who is Ziv's elder sibling, in a subtitled clip.
When she wiped it and cleared away the sand, we noticed that something was amiss," Omer went on. "I asked my parents to come take a look at the stunning stone, and then we realized we had stumbled upon an archaeological discovery!
Tel Lachish, where the young child discovered the relic, is an renowned archaeological location in Israel’s Shephela region, having been under excavation for approximately 15 years now. If Lachish rings a bell with you, then your dedication to biblical study pays off; it appears in the tale of David and Goliath within the First Book of Samuel.
They promptly "reported this" to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who consequently shared on Facebook that the younger Ziv had actually stumbled upon an significant object.
Daphna Ben-Tor, an expert in ancient amulets and seals, explained the importance of the artifact: it is a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age period.
She mentioned that Canaanite scarabs served as seals and amulets, discovered in "tombs, public structures, and residential areas." Occasionally, these items feature "symbolic representations and inscriptions indicative of spiritual convictions or social standing," she noted.
As Ben-Tor pointed out, scarab beetles were considered sacred in ancient Egypt, representing rebirth—since the Egyptian term for scarab derives from a verb meaning "to come into existence." Consequently, ancient Egyptians regarded the scarab as an emblem of divine manifestation.
Archaeologists have found numerous artefacts in Tel Azekah, including ancient city walls and agricultural structures from the Judahite Kingdom.
“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,” said Oded Lipschits, director of the Tel Aviv University archaeological dig.
“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.”
For her efforts in discovering the ancient amulet, Ziv Nitzan was honored with a certificate for outstanding citizenship.