From right to left – Prof. Oded Lipschits, Noga, Ziv and Omer Nitzan, and Semyon
Gendler. Photo by Emil Aladjem, Israel Antiquities Authority
3.5-year-old Ziv Nitzan made a remarkable archaeological discovery during a family trip to Tel Azeka, near Beit Shemesh, located west of Jerusalem. The young girl from Moshav Ramot Meir stumbled upon an ancient scarab amulet dating back 3,800 years to the Middle Bronze Age.
The unexpected find, which experts believe belonged to the Canaanite period, sheds light on the region’s rich history. Tel Azeka, a significant archaeological site in Israel, has long been associated with biblical and historical events.
This rare artifact provides valuable insights into ancient craftsmanship and culture. Archaeologists emphasize the importance of preserving historical sites and encourage visitors to report any similar discoveries to authorities.
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“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,” recounts Omer Nitzan, Ziv’s sister. “When she rubbed it and removed the sand from it, we saw something was different about it. I called my parents to come see the beautiful stone, and we realized we had discovered an archaeological find! We immediately reported this to the Israel Antiquities Authority.”
The ancient find will be included in a special display for Passover that the Israel Antiquities Authority has prepared at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel, alongside other finds from the days of Egypt and Canaan, most of which are being displayed for the first time.
Dr. Daphna Ben-Tor, an expert in ancient amulets and seals, determined that the seal found by Ziv is a Canaanite scarab from the Middle Bronze Age – dating to 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.”
The scarab seals are tiny ornate objects, originating in ancient Egypt and designed in the shape of a dung beetle. This beetle, considered sacred in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians, was a symbol of new life, because of the dung ball it created and then laid its eggs into it, from which new life would hatch. Its name in Egyptian derives from the verb “to come into being”, or “to be created”. This is because the Egyptians saw the scarab as a symbol of the incarnation of God the Creator.
Ziv’s scarab was found at the base of Tel Azeka, a significant archaeological site near Beit Shemesh. This tel reveals a rich history of shifting cultures, with Tel Aviv University excavations uncovering Judahite Kingdom remains like city walls and agricultural installations. Tel Azekah is also notable as a location in the biblical account of David and Goliath (Samuel I 17:1).
“We have been excavating here for almost 15 years, and the 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,” says Prof. Oded Lipschits, director of the Tel Aviv University archaeological dig, who even came to meet Ziv and her sisters at the tel. “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.”
