3.4 Childbearing, childrearing, and parenting in ancient cultures
6 min read•august 15, 2024
Ancient cultures valued fertility and childbearing highly. Having kids was key for family lines and communities. Infertility often led to stigma. Rituals and deities were tied to fertility. Some cultures used contraception and abortion.
Pregnancy and childbirth had protective rituals. Midwives were crucial, using skills and magic. After birth, purification rites helped moms and babies rejoin society. Parenting roles were often split by gender, with moms doing most childcare.
Attitudes towards Fertility and Childbearing
Cultural Value and Significance
Top images from around the web for Cultural Value and Significance
Ancient societies often placed a high value on fertility and the ability to bear children
Essential for the continuation of the family line and the community as a whole
Reflected in the legal and social status of women
Those who bore children, particularly sons, often enjoyed higher status and privileges (Sparta, Athens)
Infertility was often stigmatized and seen as a curse or punishment from the gods
Led to social and religious consequences for those affected
Women often blamed and faced social ostracism or divorce (Mesopotamia, Egypt)
Religious and Spiritual Associations
Some ancient cultures associated fertility with specific deities and performed rituals to ensure their favor
Egyptians: Isis, Hathor, and were associated with fertility, childbirth, and motherhood
Greeks: , Hera, and Artemis were linked to fertility, marriage, and childbirth
Rituals and offerings were made to these deities to promote fertility and ensure successful pregnancies
Egyptians offered figurines of Taweret and Bes to protect the mother and child (Taweret hippopotamus statuettes)
Greeks performed festivals like Thesmophoria in honor of Demeter to promote fertility (Eleusinian Mysteries)
Fertility Control Practices
Ancient societies had various methods of controlling fertility
Use of contraceptives (honey, acacia gum, crocodile dung in Egypt)
Abortion (silphium plant in Greece and Rome)
Infanticide (exposure of unwanted or deformed infants in Sparta and Rome)
These practices were often influenced by cultural, religious, and economic factors
Spartans practiced infanticide to maintain a strong and healthy population
Romans exposed unwanted infants, particularly girls, due to economic constraints and patriarchal values
Rituals of Pregnancy and Childbirth
Protective Rituals and Practices
Many ancient cultures had specific rituals and practices associated with pregnancy to protect the mother and unborn child
Use of amulets, charms, and prayers (cowrie shells, Bes amulets in Egypt)
Recitation of incantations and spells (Mesopotamian incantation bowls)
Offerings to deities associated with childbirth (Greek women offered clothing to Artemis)
These practices were believed to ward off evil spirits, ensure a safe delivery, and promote the health of the child
Role of Midwives
Midwives played a crucial role in assisting with childbirth and providing care for the mother and newborn
Used a combination of practical skills and religious or magical practices
Helped with delivery, cut the umbilical cord, and bathed the newborn (Babylonian Ṣerua ritual)
Offered prayers, performed rituals, and used amulets to protect the mother and child (Egyptian Bes wands)
was often a respected profession, with midwives holding high social status and passing down knowledge through generations ()
Postpartum Rituals and Practices
Purification rituals were often performed after childbirth to cleanse the mother and child and reintegrate them into society
: carried the newborn around the hearth to introduce them to the household gods
: naming ceremony and purification of the child on the 8th (girls) or 9th (boys) day after birth
The placenta and umbilical cord were sometimes given special treatment or buried in specific locations
Believed to have spiritual or magical properties
Egyptians buried placentas in special jars, symbolizing the child's connection to the earth (placenta jars at Deir el-Medina)
Mesopotamians buried the placenta under the floor to ensure the child's connection to the family home
Division of Parental Responsibilities
Maternal Roles and Expectations
In many ancient societies, the primary responsibility for child-rearing fell on the mother
Expected to nurse, care for, and educate young children
Responsible for the child's physical and emotional well-being (breastfeeding, bathing, comforting)
Taught children, particularly daughters, domestic skills and cultural values (weaving, cooking, religious rituals)
The mother's role was often associated with the domestic sphere and the maintenance of the household
Mesopotamian and Egyptian women managed household affairs and supervised servants
Spartan women were responsible for managing the household and estate while men were away at war
Paternal Roles and Expectations
Fathers often played a more distant role in child-rearing, focusing on providing for the family and serving as a disciplinarian or moral authority as children grew older
Responsible for the child's education and moral development (Roman paterfamilias)
Taught sons skills related to their future roles (farming, hunting, warfare)
Served as a role model for masculine behavior and values (courage, honor, loyalty)
The father's role was often associated with the public sphere and the representation of the family in society
Greek and Roman fathers held legal authority over their children ()
Mesopotamian fathers arranged marriages and managed family property
Influence of Social Factors
The division of parental responsibilities was often influenced by gender roles and expectations within the society
Women associated with nurturing and domestic roles, men with providing and public roles
Rigid gender roles in Sparta: women focused on childbearing and household management, men on military duties
Social class also influenced parental roles and responsibilities
Wealthy families often employed nurses, tutors, and servants to assist with child-rearing (Roman nutrices and paedagogi)
Lower-class families relied more on maternal care and community support
In some cases, the state played a significant role in child-rearing
Sparta: boys removed from families at age 7 for military training and education (agoge system)
Aztec Empire: children attended compulsory schools that emphasized religious and cultural values (telpochcalli and calmecac)
Family and Community in Child-Rearing
Extended Family Involvement
In many ancient societies, child-rearing involved the extended family, providing additional support and resources
Grandparents often played a significant role in caring for and educating children
Shared wisdom, stories, and cultural knowledge (Iroquois oral traditions)
Provided practical support, such as childcare and financial assistance
Aunts, uncles, and older siblings also contributed to child-rearing
Assisted with daily care, supervision, and teaching of younger children
Served as role models and mentors, guiding children through life stages and challenges
The involvement of extended family helped to distribute the responsibilities of child-rearing and strengthen familial bonds
Kinship Systems and Child Belonging
Some ancient cultures had specific kinship systems that influenced child-rearing practices and family dynamics
Iroquois of North America had a matrilineal kinship system
Children belonged to the mother's clan and were raised by the maternal extended family
Mothers and maternal relatives held authority over children's upbringing and education
, such as in ancient Rome, emphasized the father's lineage and authority
Children belonged to the father's family and were under his legal control (patria potestas)
Fathers had the power to accept or reject newborns, arrange marriages, and discipline children
Kinship systems shaped the roles and responsibilities of family members in child-rearing and determined the child's place within the larger social structure
Community Involvement and Rites of Passage
The wider community often had a stake in the upbringing of children, providing guidance, discipline, and moral instruction
Neighbors, friends, and religious or political leaders offered advice and support to families
Community members served as role models and mentors, teaching children cultural values and skills
Communal events and gatherings, such as festivals and religious ceremonies, provided opportunities for children to learn and participate in social life
marked the child's integration into the wider social group and their transition through life stages
Naming ceremonies, such as the Roman dies lustricus, introduced the child to the community and conferred social identity
Initiation rituals, such as the Spartan krypteia or the Mayan hetzmek, marked the child's entry into adulthood and assumption of new roles and responsibilities
, such as the Navajo kinaaldá or the Jewish bar/bat mitzvah, celebrated the child's maturation and readiness to contribute to society
The involvement of the extended family and community in child-rearing helped to ensure the transmission of cultural knowledge, values, and traditions across generations