According to experts, an unknown artisan crafted an amulet around 3,800 years ago.
As reported by the Israel Antiquities Authority, three-year-old Ziv Nitzan discovered the stone while walking along a gravel path.
“Out of many stones, she picked one. When she brushed off the sand, we saw something unusual. I called my parents to come and see the amazing stone, and we realized it was an archaeological find! We immediately reported it to the Israel Antiquities Authority,” said the girl’s older sister, Omer Nitzan.
Archaeologists from the authority who arrived at the site determined that the stone is a Canaanite scarab. The Canaanites were an ancient people who lived throughout the Levant and had close ties with Egypt. Researchers noted that during the Middle Bronze Age, Canaanite artisans produced seals and amulets in the shape of scarabs or featuring images of these revered beetles.
Scientists also pointed out that such artifacts, adorned with symbols and messages, are typically found in ancient burials, as well as in public and private buildings in the region.
The practice of depicting scarabs on jewelry and amulets originated in Ancient Egypt. It is known that the Egyptians associated scarabs with the sun god, who rolls the solar disk across the celestial sphere.
Researchers have been excavating the archaeological site of Tel Azekah for over 15 years. During this time, they have uncovered numerous artifacts that shed light on the ancient life of the region. Among the findings are ancient city walls and agricultural structures from the Kingdom of Judah, as reported by the Independent.
As noted by Oded Lipschitz, director of the excavations at Tel Aviv University, “The scarab found by Ziv adds to the long list of Egyptian and Canaanite artifacts discovered here, which testify to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt at that time.”