# The Puzzling Case of Children’s Rattles in Early Bronze Age Syria, or, Here Kid, Shake This, Mom and Dad are Working

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-the-ancient-near-east-3467259/the-puzzling-case-of-children-s-rattles-in-early-bronze-age-syria-or-here-kid-shake-this-mom-and-dad-are-working
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-the-ancient-near-east-3467259/the-puzzling-case-of-children-s-rattles-in-early-bronze-age-syria-or-here-kid-shake-this-mom-and-dad-are-working.md
Podcast: [This Week in the Ancient Near East](https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-the-ancient-near-east-3467259)
Published: 2025-10-20T11:26:57+00:00
Episode link: https://thisweekintheancientneareast.podbean.com/e/the-puzzling-case-of-children-s-rattles-in-early-bronze-age-syria-or-here-kid-shake-this-mom-and-dad-are-working/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/z3mt5hxs2pkhds8a/podcast_125_-_10_19_25_130_PM8f1rs.mp3
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Duration seconds: 2441

## Resource

A new article has us talking about toys. Did the potters at Early Bronze Age Hama make rattles for their kids out of love or to maximize investment in their future labor output? It’s an episode that cuts to the heart of the whole ‘childhood’ scam! Come for the insights into Bronze Age childrearing, stay for the word of the day. It’s fructiform!

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## Transcript

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