Young explorer discovers 3,500-year-old Egyptian amulet in Israel

In recent years, remarkable discoveries have been made by unexpected finders - often by children exploring their surroundings. 

A family hiking trip led a 12-year-old girl to an incredible discovery of an ancient artifact dating back around 3,500 years, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Dafna Filshteiner, while hiking with her family near the Tel Qana archaeological site in Hod Hasharon, Israel, made the discovery.

"I was looking down at the ground to find porcupine needles and smooth pebbles," Filshteiner said. "Then, I picked up an interesting stone. I showed it to my mother, and she thought it was just an ordinary stone or bead. But when I saw a decoration on it, I insisted it was something more. We searched online and found pictures of similar stones, realizing it was something special. We immediately contacted the Antiquities Authority."

What the young girl discovered was an Egyptian amulet from the New Kingdom period, approximately 3,500 years old. 

The amulet was shaped like a dung beetle, an animal that was considered sacred in Ancient Egypt and symbolized new life, according to the press release.

"The scarab is indeed a distinctive Egyptian feature, but its widespread use extended well beyond Egypt’s borders. It could have been dropped by a prominent figure passing through the area, or it might have been intentionally buried. Since the find was discovered on the surface, its precise context remains unclear," said Dr. Yitzhak Paz, a Bronze Age expert with the Israel Antiquities Authority, who further examined the discovery, according to the press release.

The beetle-shaped amulet prominently displayed two scorpions, which Paz explained "represented the Egyptian goddess Serket, who was believed to protect pregnant mothers, among other things." The amulet also featured the nefer symbol, which in Egyptian means ‘good’ or ‘chosen,’ as well as another symbol resembling a royal staff.

Filshteiner was awarded a certificate of good citizenship for reporting the ancient discovery.

By Naila Huseynova