ABSTRACT
This contribution considers evidence for the concepts and cultural constructs of childhood in Aegean prehistory, as recognized from the study of archaeological, iconographic, and (when available) documentary evidence. Discussion is divided into three principle sections on the Early Bronze Age, Minoan Crete, and Mycenaean Greece. Each period is reviewed for information on the social construction of childhood from infancy through the transition into adulthood. When possible, culturally defined stages of childhood are discussed. Social class and gender are considered as factors impacting the varying constructions of childhood.
