Recognition of children and age ranges in the necropolis of Spina

The purpose of this chapter is to draw attention to the potential of an archaeology of childhood in the Etruscan Po Valley as part of broader research, using the Valle Trebba necropolis of Spina as a starting point. Current international publications on childhood provide valuable material for comparison and inspire the development of analytical methods useful for overcoming local problems and limitations, such as issues related to identifying children even in the absence of skeletal remains. Reconstructing whole burial contexts will allow a complete analysis of the possible inclusion of children in the funerary sphere. This can be achieved by contextualizing the funerary rites and spatial choices in order to better comprehend ritual continuities and discontinuities, as well as anomalies in burial treatments.