Infant Care in Early Bronze Age Syria: Newly identified Clay Rattles at Hama

This paper presents new evidence for the presence of rattles at the
Early Bronze Age site of Hama in Syria. The assemblage of rattles at
this site forms the largest securely identified find of this type of toy
in the Near East. The identification of ceramic handles and pierced
body sherds as rattles is based on comparative analysis with
complete rattles from the nearby site of Al-Zalaqiyat Cemetery. We
argue that the rattles served as toys to amuse and calm infants,
rather than as musical instruments, based on the low noise level of
the rattles and the relatively small size of their handles. We present
an overview of the different types of rattles found in the Near East
in the Early Bronze Age, and reflect on what the presence of rattles
tells us about the care and nurturing of infants at Hama.