Toddler finds ancient treasure laying on the ground where David and Goliath clashed after 3,800 years
Tel Azeka has been undergoing excavation for 15 years, but a three-year-old found what the experts missed
AN ancient treasure, hidden in plain sight where David and Goliath clashed, has been found by a toddler after 3,800 years.
Ziv Nitzan, three, was walking with her family at Tel Azeka in central Israel when she bent down and picked up an unusual stone on the trail.
The site features in the Biblical battle of David and Goliath, and is an important archaeological dig where excavations have been ongoing for 15 years.
But a curious toddler would find a treasure that experts missed – a 3,800-year-old amulet, decorated with a scarab beetle design, which lay at the foot of the mound.
Older sister Omer said: “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.
“When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it, we saw something was different about it.
Video courtesy Emil Aladjem/IAA
“I called my parents to come see the beautiful stone, and we realised we had discovered an archaeological find.”
The family immediately reported their discovery to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
Daphna Ben-Tor, an expert in ancient amulets and seals, said it was a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age – about 3,800 years ago.
“Scarabs were used in this period as seals and as amulets,” she 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.”
Scarab beetles were sacred to the ancient Egyptians as a symbol of new life, because they lay their eggs in the the dung balls they make.
Their Egyptian name derives from the verb “to come into being” or “to be created”.
Oded Lipschits of Tel Aviv University, who directs the archaeological dig at Tel Azeka, came to meet Ziv and her family.
He said: “We have been excavating here for almost 15 years.
“The excavation findings show that during the Middle Bronze and Late Bronze Ages, here in Tel Azeka, thrived one of the most important cities in the Judean Lowlands.
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“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.”
Ziv has been awarded a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship.
And the amulet she found will now feature alongside others from the days of Egypt and Canaan in a special passover display in Jerusalem.
IAA director Eli Escusido said: “Thanks to her, everyone will be able to see it and enjoy it.”
Excavations at Tel Azeka have also revealed findings from the days of the Judahite Kingdom, including city walls and agricultural installations.
Israeli Minister of Heritage, Amichai Eliyahu, “The seal that little Ziv found during a family trip to Tel Azeka connects us to a grand story, that of the ancient civilizations that lived in this land 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.”