An ancient vase that remained intact for 3500 years has fallen victim to the ungainly hands of a 4-year-old.

Housed at the Hecht Museum at the University of Haifa in northern Israel, the artefact – an urn from the Late Bronze Age – has been on display at the museum for 35 years, but its striking presence came to a dramatic end last Friday when it toppled and smashed to the ground.

According to Metro UK, the urn, in keeping with the museum’s founder, Dr Reuven Hecht’s vision to make archaeological items accessible, was not safeguarded behind protective glass, thus allowing curious hands to roam.

Shortly after the incident, it is claimed a young boy and his mother, apparently scared by the accident, made a hasty exit.

It wasn’t until the museum’s director, Dr Inbal Rivlin, made a surprising plea for the pair to return, citing no ill-feeling, that the full story unfolded.

It seems the small boy responded to the artefact in the exact way most museums intend – it piqued his interest.

Speaking to the BBC, the boy’s father said his son was “curious about what was inside” so he “pulled the jar slightly”.

As anyone who’s ever been in the path of children’s hands can verify – it’s far from gentle or graceful. What started with curiosity, ended in catastrophe.

The family have since come forward to apologise for the unfortunate mishap.

Speaking with local media, Rivlin explained that in the immediate aftermath, “The mother and child were so frightened at that moment. She grabbed the child and they quickly left the museum.”

In a state of disbelief himself, the boy’s father admitted thinking “It wasn’t my child that did it”.

While you might think most museum directors would react badly to such an incident, Rivlin extended an olive branch and invited the unlucky duo back for a guided tour of the museum.

Rivlin said, “I want to reach out to them and say don’t worry, we don’t hold anything against you.”

“Such incidents are rare, but they happen. We will repair the jug and return it to its place via a process called restoration.”

The BBC reported the father as saying they felt “relieved” that the jar will be restored but are “sorry it will no longer be the same item”.

The museum’s generosity also came with a warning: Rivlin advised parents to outline museum guidelines before visiting, in a bid to prevent future accidents and refrain children from touching priceless exhibits.

The now-defunct vase was described by the museum as a “rare and impressive find”, mostly due to its excellent condition.

Most urns from the same period did not survive 3500 years intact – often found broken and in a state of disrepair.