Student finds 3,300-year-old Egyptian scarab amulet in Israel

Shilo Atoun, a 17-year-old student at the MUSS in Israel high school, discovered a 3,300-year-old scarab amulet during an educational tour of Tel Gezer National Park.

Atoun was visiting the site with a group from the Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA) when he spotted the ancient object on the ground. He and his guide, Benji Hein, immediately reported the find to the Israel Antiquities Authority.

An inspector from the Israel Antiquities Authority, Adam Asper, met the group to collect the artifact for the State Treasures collection. The authority awarded Atoun a certificate of appreciation for his responsible actions. The amulet features a dung beetle shape, which ancient Egyptians viewed as a sacred symbol of creation and renewal. It is decorated with two cobras, which served as protective and royal symbols in ancient Egypt and the southern Levant.

Professor Ido Koch of Tel Aviv University examined the seal and dated it to the Late Bronze Age. The artifact features a semi-ellipse that represents the Egyptian hieroglyphic sign for "lord." The discovery reflects the cultural influence of ancient Egypt in the region during its period of rule about 3,500 years ago. The Israel Antiquities Authority noted that such finds should be left in place to preserve their archaeological context.