Overview

• 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.