3-Year-Old Finds 3,800-Year-Old Egyptian Scarab in Israel

A three-year-old girl named Ziv just made an archaeological discovery that scholars have been searching for, simply by picking up what she thought was a beautiful stone during a family outing.

While walking the trails at Tel Azekah in central Israel, Ziv spotted an unusual object on the ground and picked it up. When her family brushed away the sand, they realized the "stone" was actually carved with intricate details.

Her brother Omer remembers the moment clearly. "She bent down and picked it up. When she rubbed it and removed the sand, we saw that it was something different," he said.

The family immediately contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority. Experts confirmed their suspicions: Ziv had found a Canaanite scarab amulet shaped like a dung beetle, dating back between 1800 and 1600 BCE.

These beetle-shaped seals were sacred symbols in ancient Egypt, representing regeneration and royal power. People used them for ceremonies and official business, and they've been found in tombs, homes, and public spaces across ancient Egypt's sphere of influence.

The find is especially remarkable because it happened at Tel Azekah, a site that archaeologists have been carefully excavating for almost 15 years. Professor Oded Lipschits, who directs the excavation, explained that the site was home to one of the most important cities in the region during the Bronze Age.

The scarab adds to a growing collection of Egyptian artifacts found at the location, including ritual vessels, seals, and statues. Together, they paint a picture of extensive cultural exchange between Egyptian and Canaanite societies nearly 4,000 years ago.

Why This Inspires

Ziv's discovery proves that history isn't just locked away in museums or available only to trained experts. Sometimes the most significant finds happen when curious eyes notice what others have walked past for centuries.

The family did exactly the right thing by reporting their find immediately. Under Israeli law, all antiquities belong to the state, ensuring they're preserved for everyone to learn from and enjoy.

IAA Director Eli Escusido praised the family's actions. "Thanks to her, everyone will be able to see it and enjoy it," he said, confirming the scarab will be featured in a special 2026 exhibition about Egyptian influence in Bronze Age Canaan.

The exhibition will showcase impressive pieces including Pharaonic seals, Egyptian statues, and ritual vessels recovered from sites across the Judean Lowlands.

The discovery has also prompted archaeologists to take a fresh look at Tel Azekah's surface layers. If an intact artifact was sitting on a public trail after years of formal excavation, there may be more treasures waiting to be found.

One curious three-year-old reminded us that wonder and discovery are available to anyone who pays attention to the world around them.