The Archaeology Of Childhood

Download or read book The Archaeology of Childhood written by Jane Eva Baxter and published by Rowman Altamira. This book was released on 2005-01-18 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study of children and childhood in historical and prehistoric life is an overlooked area of study that Jane Baxter addresses in this brief book. Her timely contribution stresses the importance of studying children as active participants in past cultures, instead of regarding them mainly for their effect on adult life. Using the critical concepts of gender and socialization, she develops new theoretical and methodological approaches for the archaeological study of this large but invisible population. Baxter presents examples from the analysis of toys, miniatures, and other objects traditionally associated with children, from the gendered distribution of activity space, from the remains of children-as-apprentices, and from mortuary evidence. Baxter's work will aid archaeologists bring a more nuanced understanding of children's role in the historical and archaeological record.