This is the first book to survey the 'hidden half' of prehistoric
societies as revealed by archaeology, from Australopithecines to
advanced Stone Age foragers, from farming villages to the beginnings of
civilisation. Prehistoric children can be seen in footprints and finger
daubs, in images painted on rocks and pots, in the signs of play and the
evidence of first attempts to learn practical crafts. The burials of
those who did not reach adulthood reveal clothing, personal adornment,
possession and status in society, while the bodies themselves provide
information on diet, health and sometimes violent death. This book
demonstrates the extraordinary potential for the study of childhood
within the prehistoric record, and will suggest to those interested in
childhood what can be learnt from the study of the deep past.