Hama, west-central Syria – A cache of 19 clay rattles discovered in central Syria’s Hama region has shed light on the surprising antiquity of children’s toys, indicating that the sale of professionally made playthings existed as early as 4,500 years ago during the Bronze Age.
The findings were detailed in a recent study published in the academic journal Childhood in the Past and mark the largest known collection of ancient rattles of its kind.
Mette Marie Hald, a researcher at the National Museum of Denmark and co-author of the study, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the items demonstrate a long-standing human impulse to entertain children.
“If you wanted to amuse a child back then, you could give them a wooden spoon or a stone,” Hald said. “But even 4,500 years ago, parents had another option, to go to the market and buy toys crafted by professionals.”
The rattles were unearthed by chance within the museum’s archaeological collection. Researchers determined they were made in Hama using the same techniques used for pottery, suggesting they were crafted by skilled artisans rather than by parents at home.
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“The clay is shaped exactly like professionally made vessels,” Hald noted. “Their quality makes it unlikely that non-professionals made them.”
The study also raises questions about the purpose of other ancient artifacts. Some figurines previously assumed to be ritual objects may have actually been toys, the researchers suggest.
“They’re often labeled as temple figurines, but we wonder if they were really just toys for children,” Hald added. “They’re diverse and often quite whimsical.”
Because most of the toys were recovered in fragmentary condition during excavations, determining their original use remains difficult. Still, the findings offer a rare window into family life and consumer culture in ancient Syria.
