Ancient scarab amulet discovered at Tel Gezer National Park

A 17-year-old American high school student, Shiloh Attoun, discovered a 3,300-year-old Egyptian-style scarab amulet during an educational tour of Tel Gezer National Park in Israel.

Attoun, a student at MUSS High School Israel, spotted the artifact on the ground during his class's first excursion in the Judean Lowlands. The amulet, which is fashioned in the shape of a dung beetle, features decorations of two cobras above a semi-ellipse. Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University dated the find to the Late Bronze Age.

Attoun and his guide reported the discovery to the Israel Antiquities Authority. The artifact has been collected for Israel's National Treasures collection. In recognition of his actions, Attoun was presented with a certificate of appreciation for good citizenship.