During a recent family trip to Tel Azekah in Israel, 3-year-old Ziv Nitzan was walking alongside her relatives when she came across a stone. It turned out to be an ancient scarab amulet that dates back approximately 3,800 years ago.
"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," explained Omer Nitzan, who is Ziv's elder sibling, in a subtitled video clip.
When she scrubbed it and removed 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 we realized we had stumbled upon an archaeological discovery!
Tel Lachish, where the young child discovered the relic, is an established archaeological location in Israel’s Shephela region, having been under excavation for approximately 15 years. If Lachish rings a bell with you, then your biblical scholarship serves you right; 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 religious convictions or social standing," she further 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 embodiment.
Archaeologists have discovered many artifacts at Tel Azekah, such as remnants of old city walls and farming facilities dating back to the time of the Judahite Kingdom.
"Excavation discoveries indicate that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze periods, Tel Azekah was home to one of the most significant urban centers in the Judean lowlands," stated Oded Lipschits, who leads the excavation project at Tel Aviv University.
The scarab unearthed by Ziv adds to an extensive roster of Egyptian and Canaanite discoveries made in this area, highlighting the strong connections and mutual cultural impacts between Canaan and Egypt during that era.
In recognition of her discovery of the ancient amulet, Ziv Nitzan received an award for exemplary citizenship.