Girl finds 3,500-year-old Egyptian amulet while hiking
Find provides 'new insights into the nature of the Egyptian influence in the region in general, and the Yarkon area in particular'
An Israeli girl hiking in the Tel Qana site near Hod Hasharon recently discovered an ancient Egyptian amulet, estimated to be some 3,500 years old.
"I was looking down at the ground to find porcupine needles and smooth pebbles," said 12-year-old Dafna Filshteiner, as cited by a press release by the Israel Antiquities Authority. The Tel Qana site, along the Yarkon River, has in the past provided substantial archaeological finds.
"And suddenly I picked up an interesting stone," she continued. "I showed it to my mother, and she said it was just an ordinary stone or a bead. But then I saw a decoration and stubbornly insisted it was more than that, so we searched on the internet. There, we identified more photos of stones similar to what we had found. We realized that it was something special and immediately called the Antiquities Authority."
Mor Wiesel, one of the authority's archaeologists, thanked the pair and awarded a certificate of excellence for their good citizenship.
Bronze Age expert Dr. Yitzhak Paz said that "the scorpion symbol represented the Egyptian goddess Serket, who was considered responsible, among other things, for protecting pregnant mothers."
The amulet dates back to the New Kingdom period of Egypt, when the pharoah's influence extended well into modern-day Israel.
Such scarab beetle amulets are indications of Egypian rule in the region, and its cultural influence can still be seen in finds today. The scarab was considered sacred, symbolizing new life and embodying the divine creator.
"The scarab is indeed a distinct Egyptian characteristic, but their wide distribution also reached far beyond Egypt’s borders," said Dr. Paz. "It may have been dropped by an important and authoritative figure passing through the area, or it may have been deliberately buried. Since the find was discovered on the surface, it is difficult to know its exact context."
Bar Ilan University's Dr. Amit Dagan and the Antiquities Authority's Dr. Ayelet Dayan said the find was "both exciting and significant," as it provides "new insights into the nature of the Egyptian influence in the region in general, and the Yarkon area in particular."
The director of the authority, Eli Escusido, said the scarab will be on display for the public at Jerusalem's Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel. "Everyone is welcome to come and visit!"