ABSTRACT
What was Etruscan children’s daily life like, and how do we know? Given the absence of Etruscan literature, our evidence comes almost exclusively from iconography and archaeology. We know that children were important, both for poorer families who left ex-votos in sanctuaries seeking blessings for their children’s health, and also for the continuity of aristocratic families. Etruscan images of mothers and babies and of older children, together with their graves containing toys, jewelry and gifts, tell us that both sons and daughters were valued and cherished by their parents, and that the unfolding phases of their young lives were celebrated.
