Roman-era vase from Robert and Renee Belfer collection at the Israel Museum.
Photo: Haaretz.
Unlike most stories involving damaged artifacts, a recent accident with a young Israeli girl and a 2,000-year-old vase has an unexpectedly happy ending.
On August 23, the unnamed child and her family were visiting the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, where an exhibition of rare Egyptian, Roman, and Byzantine objects from the Robert and Renee Belfer collection is currently on display.
According to Haaretz, the girl managed to rock the glass case housing the ancient Roman object, causing it to fall and break along a preexisting crack. While the old crack had been previously repaired, according to museum officials, the new repairs have left it in better shape than ever.
“It would require a great effort to notice the crack with the naked eye,” a representative for the museum said.
The vessel was sent immediately to a lab on premises, and is back on view at the museum.
While broken sculptures and artifacts aren’t uncommon—thanks to factors like bustling crowds, curious kids, and overeager selfie-takers—it’s rare for a museum to actually thank the party responsible for the accident.
The Israel Museum exterior.
Photo: Courtesy Israel Museum.
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