BIBLE HISTORY DAILY

Scarab Seal Discovered at Azekah

Three-year-old spots ancient artifact

Egyptian scarab discovered at Azekah. Courtesy Emil Aladjem IAA.

While on a walk with her family at the site of Azekah in central Israel, three-year-old Ziv Nitzan made a remarkable chance discovery: a nearly four millennia-old Egyptian scarab seal. As recounted by her older sister, Ziv bent down to look at rocks while walking along the path of the archaeological site. Picking up a stone, the toddler began to rub off some of the dirt when her sister suddenly realized it was something special. “I called my parents to come see the beautiful stone, and we realized we had discovered an archaeological find!”

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Identifying a Scarab

After chancing upon the incredible find, the family contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority. According to Daphna Ben-Tor, an expert in ancient seals, the scarab dates to the Middle Bronze Age (c. 2000–1550 BCE) and is approximately 3,800 years old. “Scarabs were used in this period as seals and amulets. They were found in graves, in public buildings, and in private homes. Sometimes they bear symbols and messages that reflect religious beliefs or status.”

Typically, scarab seals were small stone objects carved in the shape of the scarab dung beetle. The beetle, considered sacred in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians, was a symbol of new life, since the insect creates a dung ball in which to lay its eggs. In Egyptian, the beetle’s name derives from the verb “to come into being” or “to be created.”

Ziv Nitzan and her sisters with the certificate of appreciation from the IAA. Courtesy Emil Aladjem, IAA.

Although scarab seals are distinctly Egyptian, at various periods in history they spread far outside Egypt’s borders. Hundreds have been discovered in Israel over the years. Many of these scarabs were imported from Egypt, while others were the work of local craftsmen copying Egyptian styles. In recent years, a number of scarab seals have been discovered by chance near archaeological sites, with many being found by small children like Ziv.

According to Achia Kohn-Tavor, an archaeologist who frequently partners with Israeli middle schools in educational activities, there are pros and cons of working with little kids. One of the pros is that in their excitement to find something, they look closely at every single rock. The con is that most of the things they find are just that—rocks.

Azekah is an important archaeological site near the modern (and ancient) city of Beth Shemesh. Through excavations, archaeologists have discovered evidence for the site’s long settlement history, including during the Bronze and Iron Ages. “The scarab found by Ziv joins a long list of Egyptian and Canaanite finds discovered [at Azekah], which attests to the close ties and cultural influences between Canaan and Egypt during that period,” said Oded Lipschits, director of the Azekah excavations.

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