3-Year-Old Discovers 3,800-Year-Old Canaanite Scarab Amulet in Israel

The artifact, found at Tel Azekah and dating to the Middle Bronze Age, highlights cultural ties between ancient Canaan and Egypt and will be featured in a Passover exhibit.

Ziv Nitzan, a 3-year-old from Israel, unearthed a 3,800-year-old scarab amulet during a family outing to Tel Azekah in March 2025.
The scarab, shaped like a dung beetle, symbolizes new life in ancient Egyptian culture and was used as a seal or amulet by Canaanites in the Middle Bronze Age.
Tel Azekah, the site of the discovery, is a significant archaeological location linked to biblical events and ancient Canaanite civilization.
The Israel Antiquities Authority confirmed the artifact’s authenticity and praised the Nitzan family for reporting the find, awarding Ziv a certificate of appreciation.
The amulet will be displayed in a special Passover exhibit at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel, alongside other Egyptian and Canaanite artifacts.