Ancient Egypt: US Student Finds 3,300-Year-Old Amulet in Judean Hills

The Israel Antiquities Authority confirmed on Tuesday that a 17-year-old American student found a Late Bronze Age amulet during a school trip to the Judean lowlands. The discovery connects modern visitors to the deep history of the region through a rare find in a national park.

Shiloh Attoun, a student in the Jewish National Fund-USA Muss High School program, made the find at Tel Gezer National Park. He arrived in Israel just two days prior to the incident. Attoun was walking up a mountain toward an altar with Benji Hain, the dean of students, when he tossed a rock in boredom. The projectile struck the ground and revealed a small, spherical object. Attoun picked it up and observed two faces resembling the Hebrew letter Nun. He showed it to Hain, who identified the artifact's potential value and began celebrating the find.

Prof. Ido Koch of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Cultures examined the object. Koch dated the scarab to the Late Bronze Age, approximately 3,300 years ago. The amulet is decorated with two cobra motifs above a semi-ellipse. In ancient Egyptian and Greek contexts, the cobra, known as the uraeus, served as a protective and royal symbol. The semi-ellipse represents the hieroglyphic sign “nb,” which means “lord.” Koch noted that a similar scarab depicting three snakes was found during excavations at Tel Megiddo.

Scarab amulets reflect the cultural influence of ancient Egypt over the southern Levant. During the period of Egyptian rule over Canaan, roughly 3,500 years ago, these objects were common. Ancient Egyptians considered the scarab beetle sacred because it rolled balls of dung to lay its eggs, a process they associated with the creation of new life. The Egyptian name for the beetle derives from the verb “to be formed,” linking the insect to the god who creates life.

Attoun and Hain reported the discovery to the IAA immediately. Archaeologist Adam William Asper collected the artifact for the National Treasures of Israel. The IAA presented Attoun with a certificate of appreciation for his responsible handling of the find. Amit Melman, the IAA’s Central Region educational director, described the event as a charming example of the connection between young students and the country’s history through firsthand experience.

Tel Gezer was one of the most important Canaanite cities during the Late Bronze Age. It controlled a strategic crossroads in the Shephelah region. The site is now a national park managed by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. The IAA advised that archaeological objects found in the field should be left in place and reported immediately to allow experts to document their original context.

The find highlights the ongoing interaction between international students and local archaeological sites. Attoun’s discovery adds a new artifact to the record of Egyptian influence in the region. The amulet is now in the possession of the Israel Antiquities Authority for study and preservation.