Idiots (more than 1) of the week: 4-year-old boy accidentally smashes 3,500-year-old Bronze Age jar at museum

This week's Idiot of the week involves a couple of people who showed negligence and stupidity. A little kid broke a piece of pottery from thousands of years ago... only because the people who curated the museum were too foolish to not put it behind glass with a "do not touch" sign. So, the idiot is the reckless kid, the parents who weren't keeping an eye on the urchin, and the Hecht museum folks for thinking that priceless artifact could be trusted to the public to keep it safe. Lots of idiots of the week. 

(CAPTION: The Bronze Age jar is seen smashed at the Hecht Museum in Haifa, Israel, Aug. 23, 2024. Courtesy The Hecht Museum)

4-year-old boy accidentally smashes 3,500-year-old Bronze Age jar at museum

ABC NEWS ByJulia Reinstein, August 28, 2024 

The jar has been displayed near the entrance of the museum without glass. A 4-year-old boy accidentally smashed a Bronze Age jar during a visit to a museum in Israel on Friday, the museum said.

The ancient jar, which was on display at the University of Haifa's Hecht Museum, dates back to between 2200 and 1500 B.C., making it at least 3,500 years old. It was especially rare due to it being fully intact -- well, until recently.

The boy's father -- identified only by his first name, Alex -- told the BBC the jar fell to the ground after his son "pulled the jar slightly" because he was "curious about what was inside."

Alex was "in shock" when he saw his son next to the smashed artifact, and initially thought, "It wasn't my child that did it," but spoke to a security guard after calming the child down.

The museum's director, Inbal Rivlin, told ABC News they understand it was an accident.

"There are instances where display items are intentionally damaged, and such cases are treated with great severity, including involving the police," Rivlin said. "In this case, however, this was not the situation. The jar was accidentally damaged by a young child visiting the museum, and the response will be accordingly."

The jar had been displayed at the museum's entrance, without glass or barriers, which Rivlin said is a core tenet of the museum in order to make "archaeological items accessible to the public."

"The museum believes that there is a special charm in experiencing an archaeological find without any obstructions, and despite the rare incident with the jar, the Hecht Museum will continue this tradition," she said.

Rivlin said the jar was used to store and transport supplies, particularly wine and olive oil.