The Five-Minute Archaeologist in the Southern Levant - Cynthia Shafer-Elliott
41. How do you identify children in the archaeological record?
The Five-Minute Archaeologist in the Southern Levant - Cynthia Shafer-Elliott
Rona Avissar Lewis
W.F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research
Description
Children are surprisingly absent from the archaeological record of sites that are excavated and published. This is a false and biased picture that has been created by researchers owing to their scholarly interests. Children are a constant major demographic component within traditional human societies and they certainly have contributed to the archaeological record, and created, and used material cultural features. The research of the material culture of children and childhood is vital for the full understanding children’s life, activities and role in different periods and cultures, but it also provides important insights on those societies and cultures.