'I couldn't believe it was my son who did it': boy, 4, smashes bronze age jar in Israel museum [View all]

‘I couldn’t believe it was my son who did it’: boy, 4, smashes bronze age jar in Israel museum
Instead of chastising family over breakage, director of the Hecht Museum invites them back


A rare bronze age jar – its history stretching back at least 3,500 years – had long graced the entrance of the Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel, offering visitors a closeup look at an intact artefact believed to predate the biblical King David and King Solomon.

That is, until it was accidentally smashed by a four-year-old earlier this week.

“My initial reaction was denial,” Alex, the father of the young child told the Guardian. “I couldn’t believe it was my son who did it.”

His son had been curious to see if there was anything inside of the jar, which was thought to have been used to carry local supplies such as wine and olive oil.

As the museum has a tradition of making its artefacts as accessible as possible, shunning glass displays cases and barriers, the four-year-old was able to grab the jar. He “pulled the jar slightly … that’s how the jar tipped over and fell”, said his father.

The young boy, gripped with fear, began to cry. His parents surveyed the scattered pieces on the floor, scrambling to figure out how best to handle the situation. “At first, I was in shock,” said his father, Alex. “Then I felt a bit angry with him.”