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An ancient child skeleton. Representational only – not the skeleton found in Turkey. Credit: Scott Haddow / Flickr
5 October, 2019 - 18:06 Ed Whelan

5,700-Year-Old Child Skeleton with Crushed Head Found in Turkey

Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a child who died in the Copper Age, 5,700 years ago, in Turkey. The skeleton, believed to be that of a 6- or 7-year-old, was found in the ruins of a...
François Joseph Navez, The Massacre of the Innocents, 1824
27 January, 2019 - 18:56 dhwty

The Chilling Ancient Practice of Infanticide Was Once Accepted as Normal

Today, the thought of infanticide – the intentional killing of infants – fills us with horror, but in many ancient societies, not only was this practice permitted, it was considered a regular fact of...
Wax diptycha or tablet, forming a schoolboy's Greek exercise book. The tablet contains two lines, written neatly above as a model and then copied twice betwen the ruled lines; the first line, and possibly the second, are from the poet Menander.
7 January, 2019 - 13:40 ashley cowie

Egyptian Child’s Greek Homework from 1,800 Years Ago Goes on Display

An ancient wax tablet containing “remarkable examples” of a child's Greek homework from 1,800 years ago includes spelling exercises, times tables and handwriting. This rare and valuable insight into...
One of the Tring Tiles.
4 January, 2019 - 22:41 dhwty

The Tring Tiles: Medieval Comics of Murder and Miracles in Jesus’ Childhood

The Tring Tiles are a set of earthenware tiles associated with the Tring Church in Hertfordshire, England. The tiles date to the Late Medieval period and depict scenes of Jesus’ childhood as recorded...
Finger bones of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis found in Poland.
8 October, 2018 - 19:51 Ed Whelan

115,000-year-old Bones Found in Poland are of a Neanderthal Child that was Eaten by a Bird

In 2013 some very early hominid bones were uncovered by archaeologists in a cave in southern Poland. There have been extensive studies conducted on the remains and they have led to some astonishing...
Mummified child found in Chile.
27 July, 2018 - 02:00 ancient-origins

Study of Atacama Skeleton Slammed as Scientifically Flawed and Unethical

University of Otago-led international collaborative research calls into question the ethics of skeletal and genomic analysis surrounding research into the much publicized "Atacama mummy." University...
The remains of an Aztec child sacrifice were found in an unusual burial at the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan in Mexico.
26 July, 2018 - 13:59 Alicia McDermott

Archaeologists Have Unearthed a Literally Heart-Rending Aztec Child Sacrifice to the God of War

Archaeologists have made a startling discovery while excavating at the Templo Mayor of the city of Tenochtitlan . They’ve unearthed the remains of a child who they believe was sacrificed to the Aztec...
Statue of Queen Ankhnes-meryre II and Her Son, Pepy II. (Brooklyn Museum) Background: Papyrus with ancient Egyptian writing.
19 July, 2018 - 14:01 Mark Oliver

Explorer Rushes Back to Collect Pygmy Prize After Child Pharaoh’s Golden Letter

Harkhuf the Explorer, while traveling through Nubia, received an urgent message from the Pharaoh himself. “Come to the Palace at once!” the king’s letter read. “Drop everything!” This was unusual...
Medea with her children. The children became the focus of a hero cult in ancient Greece.
14 July, 2018 - 13:27 Carly Silver

Baby, Baby, Baby: Why Did the Ancient Greeks Turn Dead Children into Heroes?

When we use the term “hero” today while discussing Greek mythological figures, it usually designates a man whose superhuman exploits and semi-divine parentage make him a person of legend. But in real...
Archaeologist carrying out excavations at the pyramid of the bees.
8 July, 2018 - 14:00 ashley cowie

Peruvian Pyramid of the Bees Reveals Its Deathly Secrets

The Inca Empire of modern-day Peru dominated the South American Andes mountain range with a vast network of roads, farms and temples, before the Spanish conquest in the 16th century. Archaeologists...
Model of the foot (with missing elements) of the Australopithecus afarensis Dikika child.
7 July, 2018 - 22:53 ancient-origins

The Dikka Child Toddled Over the Ethiopian Landscape 200,000 Years Before Lucy

More than 3 million years ago, our ancient human ancestors, including their toddler-aged children, were standing on two feet and walking upright, according to a new study published in Science...
The child skeleton recently discovered at Pompeii.
1 May, 2018 - 22:59 Ed Whelan

Skeleton Found in Pompeii Belonged to Child Seeking Shelter from Deadly Volcanic Eruption

Among the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii, archaeological excavations have revealed the skeleton of a child who died in a volcanic eruption. Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and destroyed the...
Detail of ‘Coco’ a monstrous Spanish lullaby.
28 February, 2018 - 01:50 Mattress Online

Creepy Cradle: Unsettling Traditional Lullabies Sung Around the World

Sweet dreams or nightmares – are we scaring our children to sleep? Have you ever thought about the lyrics sung in lullabies? Although it’s proven that lullabies help babies get to sleep, if you pay...
View and colour rendered model of the hominin track P-01, belonging to the left foot of an adult
17 February, 2018 - 02:00 ancient-origins

What ancient footprints can tell us about what it was like to be a child in prehistoric times

Western society has a rather specific view of what a good childhood should be like; protecting, sheltering and legislating to ensure compliance with it. However, perceptions of childhood vary greatly...
An artifact discovered in the disgraced emperor’s son’s tomb.
7 February, 2018 - 23:04 Alicia McDermott

Han Dynasty Toy Story: Uncovered Relics Belong to the Son of ‘Loose Morals’ Emperor Liu

A collection of small toys and a seal bearing a name – these are the remnants of the lost childhood of a Chinese emperor’s son. His father was tossed from the throne just 27 days after the emperor...
Left: The baby was found tucked under the arm of a woman in a grave in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands. Right: An artist's impression of the grave.
1 February, 2018 - 13:58 Alicia McDermott

Stone Age Grave of a Mother and Child is the Oldest Baby Burial in the Netherlands

Researchers working at an archaeological site in the Netherlands have made a startling Stone Age discovery. They have unearthed the earliest known example of a baby’s grave in the Netherlands...

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