Ancient jar shattered by child restored and put back on display

Karah Rucker

A 3,500 YEAR-OLD BRONZE AGE JAR IS BACK ON DISPLAY AFTER BEING ACCIDENTALLY BROKEN BY A CURIOUS FOUR-YEAR-OLD.

RATHER THAN TAKING LEGAL ACTION OR PUNISHING THE FAMILY, THE MUSEUM EMBRACED THE INCIDENT AS PART OF THE ARTIFACTS EVOLVING STORY. 

THE JAR, DATING BACK TO THE BRONZE AGE, WAS ONE OF THE MUSEUM’S MOST TREASURED ARTIFACTS.

IT’S BELIEVED IT WAS ORIGINALLY USED TO CARRY SUPPLIES LIKE WINE OR OLIVE OIL. AND WHILE ITS FALL COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER, THE MUSEUM TOOK A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

HECHT’S (H-eh-kt) MUSEUM DIRECTOR REACHED OUT TO THE FAMILY AND INVITED THEM BACK FOR A SPECIAL TOUR AND EVEN A WORKSHOP ON RESTORING CERAMIC JUGS. 

LITTLE ARIEL WAS GIFTED A HAT AND A MINI CERAMIC JUG, A REMINDER OF THE EXPERIENCE. 

NOW THE JAR HAS BEEN CAREFULLY REPAIRED THOUGH SOME OF THE CRACK MARKS WERE DELIBERATELY LEFT VISIBLE, WITH A SMALL PIECE MISSING. AS THE MUSEUM’S ARCHAEOLOGICAL CURATOR PUT IT, ‘IT’S A POWERFUL STATEMENT ABOUT PRESERVING HISTORY, EVEN WITH ITS IMPERFECTIONS.’ 

WHILE THE GELLER FAMILY WAS INITIALLY NERVOUS ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES, THEY WERE GRATEFUL FOR HOW THINGS TURNED OUT. 

AFTER THIS VIRAL INCIDENT, THE MUSEUM RECEIVED MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FROM AROUND THE WORLD. IN FACT. PEOPLE EVEN OFFERED DONATIONS TO HELP WITH RESTORATION. 

THE JAR WILL CONTINUE TO BE DISPLAYED WITHOUT A PROTECTIVE BARRIER, STAYING TRUE TO THE MUSEUM’S MISSION TO BRINGING HISTORY CLOSER TO THE PUBLIC. 

I’M KARAH RUCKER. FOR MORE STORIES FROM STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS — 

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