An ancient 3,000-year-old scarab seal was discovered by schoolchildren on an archaeological field trip with the Israel Antiquities Authority.
The uncovered scarab seal was designed in the shape of a beetle, what was an ancient Egyptian symbol of creation and renewal. The seal apparently depicts a scene of bestowing legitimization upon a local ruler during the Bronze Age.
"We were walking in the field, and then I saw something that looked like a toy left behind in the sand," said Gilad Stern from the Archeological-Educational Center of the Israel Antiquities Authority, who guided the tour.
"But an inner voice told me to pick it up and flip it over. I was amazed: Its a scarab with a really clear engraving. A dream of every archeology lover. The excitement of the students was over the top."
The trip of eighth graders from the Rabin Middle School in central Israel, took place as part of a tour guide course which aims to train the students to guide the local residents on the region's heritage.
Dr. Amir Golani, an expert on the Bronze Age at the Israel Antiquities Authority, said: "The scarab was used as a seal for a signature and was a symbol of power and status.
"It's likely that it was set in a chain or ring. It is made of Egyptian faience, a silicate material coated with bluish-greenish glaze," he explained.
"It is possible that it was dropped from the hands of an important and authoritative figure who passed through the area, or perhaps it was buried in the ground on purpose with other objects, and after thousands of years it has reached the surface of our time. It is difficult to know its exact context."
On the flat side of the scarab, a figure is depicted sitting on a chair in front of another figure who is standing with its hands held up. The standing figure has an elongated head, which portrays an Egyptian pharaoh's crown.
The drawing may be a representation of a scene in which the figure sitting down is a local Canaanite, being granted authority on behalf of the Egyptian pharaoh.
"It is quite possible that the seal is indeed from the Late Bronze Age when the local Canaanites were ruled by the Egyptian empire," said Dr. Golani.