Fertility figurine found on a hike

ANCIENT ARTIFACT: Boy finds 2,500-year-old fertility figurine during family hike. Experts say amulet dates from a time with high infant mortality and no fertility treatments, and could have provided hope in the absence of advanced medicine (Times of Israel). This seems to be amulet day.

The object was not scientifically excavated, but its provenance is at least secure. That means it probably is a genuine ancient artifact, although we have been fooled before with a similar discovery. I leave it to the IAA to authenticate and publish the figurine.

Visit PaleoJudaica daily for the latest news on ancient Judaism and the biblical world.