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Funerary Stela Of The Child Merysekhmet
Funerary stela of the child Merysekhmet. Mid-18th Dynasty, c. 1400-1350 BCE.
The British Museum, London. Photo taken at The Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, Australia.
This stela was made for a boy named Merysekhmet who appears to have died at a young age. He is shown sitting on his mother's knee while she holds a piece of fruit to his mouth. A heap of food and drink offerings is depicted on the right. It was rare for a child to have a funerary stela and this image suggests that Merysekhmet's mother was thought to act as an intermediary to who would ease his passage into the afterlife.
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.
