Image Gallery
Egyptian Relief Of A Woman & Child
Limestone relief carving of a woman and a child, found in El-Amarna, Egypt, late 18th Dynasty, c. 1350-1330 BCE.
The British Museum, London. Photo taken at The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia.
This relief might have a sculptor's preparatory sketch for a large wall carving. The woman is most likely not an elite woman since they are rarely depicted as pregnant or nursing babies.
Questions & Answers
Did children in the ancient world play with toys?
- Yes, children in the ancient world played with dolls, toy soldiers, wooden weapons, pull-toys, balls, figurines, and many other playthings.
How young were children put to work in the ancient world?
- The age at which a child went to work depended on his or her social standing. A lower-class child was expected to help with work as soon as they were able; an upper-class child might not assume responsibilities until around the age of seven, if then.
Why are children so underrepresented in ancient art?
- Children were understood as "adults in training", not as individuals worthy of consideration in their own right, except as subjects in funerary monuments or artworks celebrating motherhood, the family, or a divine child.
At what age did children in the ancient world begin attending school?
- In ancient Rome, children began school around the age of seven. In ancient Mesopotamia, education was optional, and the children of the wealthy began school around the age of eight - the same with Egypt.
Add External Link
External Links
Archaeologies of Childhood | Childhood in Ancient World
kelsey.lsa.umich.edu
Children in the Ancient World - Local Histories
localhistories.org
Children in the Ancient Near East - The BAS Library
biblicalarchaeology.org
