How did children learn crafts in Roman Egypt? This question forms the basis of “Learning Through Play: Childhood and Textile Craft in Roman Egypt,” a forthcoming Kelsey in Focus case curated by PhD candidate Heidi Hilliker (Middle East Studies).
At Karanis, an agricultural village in Egypt’s Fayum region, learning may have begun through experimentation and playful imitation. Excavated by the University of Michigan in the early 20th century, the site preserves rich evidence for daily life, including how people worked, learned, and produced goods. Tools, textiles, and texts show that textile production was a common part of village life. Written sources indicate that some children learned through formal apprenticeships, while objects from domestic contexts point to informal learning at home.
The two miniature tools featured in this exhibit—a toy weaving comb and a small whorl-weighted spindle—closely resemble adult equipment. Like children today who play with toy versions of everyday objects, ancient children likely learned skills through thematic play, preparing them for later participation in Karanis’s textile-producing community.
“Learning Through Play” will be on view from February 2 to May 25—find it on the first floor of the Kelsey Museum, near the display of ancient glass.
