{"id":823,"date":"2024-07-10T10:17:03","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T10:17:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/?p=823"},"modified":"2024-08-12T14:35:41","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T14:35:41","slug":"roman-baby-bottles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/","title":{"rendered":"Roman Baby Bottles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As an archaeologist and a parent I always enjoy looking for evidence of children in the past, particularly in Roman Britain, my area of study for almost 30 years. One object has always intrigued me, the Roman \u201cbaby bottles\u201d. These pottery vessels measure between 5\u201310cm in height and have a distinctive small spout. They are often called  tettine<\/em> (plural tettinae<\/em>) and are commonly thought to have been used for feeding infants and young children. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
IMAGE: pottery tettina found by a member of the public and recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme (www.finds.org.uk Find no. PUBLIC_FF0848) CC BY-SA 4.0.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
IMAGE: Selection of Roman tettinae in the Colchester Museums Collection \u00a9 Colchester Museums; Douglas Atfield.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although the first examples in Britain coincide with the Roman invasion of 43 CE, these vessels had been around for a few thousand years prior to that in parts of Central Europe and the Mediterranean. We know from medical writings that have survived from the Roman period that parents commonly used wet-nurses to take over feeding their babies, so then why use a vessel? Perhaps the child was struggling to breastfeed, in which case animal milk from cows, sheep, goats and even donkeys would have been available. Roman images of babies suckling directly from animals are symbolic rather than true depictions\u2014and we have no representations in art from Roman times of bottle feeding. However, experiments with combinations of milk and water have proved these vessels are certainly useable in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
IMAGE: experiment with a replica Roman tettine and modern day spouted cup pouring watered-down milk \u00a9 K Hawkins.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Greek physician, Soranus of Ephesus (98\u2013138 CE) even goes so far as to suggest that during weaning children should be given a mix of water with wine using a vessel, which has a \u201cteat\u201d or \u201cartificial nipple\u201d; are these the same vessels? Were these tettinae<\/em> used in a similar way to modern \u201csippy\u201d cups, to provide additional liquids or even medicines to babies, toddlers and small children? The substances originally held in these vessels often leave traces absorbed into the clay fabric wall. Archaeologists, using chemical analysis, have been able to identify some of these traces, and have shown that they often contained not just milk but also meat residues, perhaps strengthening the argument that they were used in weaning\u2014but no traces of wine have (yet) been found in the examples from Britain. The search for definitive answers continues, but the thought that these little vessels were used as \u201cbaby bottles\u201d offers a tangible connection with parents in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
IMAGE: a replica tettine in use \u00a9 K Hawkins.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Kayt Hawkins<\/strong> is a Senior Archaeologist and Romano-British ceramics specialist at Archaeology South-East, UCL, a member of the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. Kayt is also a part-time PhD candidate at the University of Leicester. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her new book\u00a050 Finds From Childhood<\/em>\u00a0(Amberley, 2024)<\/a> (published on 15 July 2024) explores fifty objects on the Portable Antiquities Scheme<\/a> database\u00a0that relate to children from the prehistoric to modern period.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

These ancient pottery vessels, retaining traces of milk, provide a tangible link to parents in the past.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":826,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-childish-things"],"yoast_head":"\nRoman Baby Bottles - Digital Childhoods<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Archeolologist Kayt Hawkins describes how these ancient pottery vessels, retaining traces of milk, provide a tangible link to parents in the past.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Roman Baby Bottles - Digital Childhoods\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Archeolologist Kayt Hawkins describes how these ancient pottery vessels, retaining traces of milk, provide a tangible link to parents in the past.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Digital Childhoods\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-07-10T10:17:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-08-12T14:35:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/baby-header.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"810\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"614\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"dgeditor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"dgeditor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/\",\"name\":\"Roman Baby Bottles - Digital Childhoods\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/baby-header.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-07-10T10:17:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-08-12T14:35:41+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#\/schema\/person\/a47f86ab7f4d4eab5e01653df55c4806\"},\"description\":\"Archeolologist Kayt Hawkins describes how these ancient pottery vessels, retaining traces of milk, provide a tangible link to parents in the past.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/baby-header.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/baby-header.png\",\"width\":810,\"height\":614},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Roman Baby Bottles\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/\",\"name\":\"Digital Childhoods\",\"description\":\"DIGITAL CHILDHOODS\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#\/schema\/person\/a47f86ab7f4d4eab5e01653df55c4806\",\"name\":\"dgeditor\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b650b42ea5f6650a83dca922f5794e0bf6a8cc7c3d14b7638319c06eb35e272b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b650b42ea5f6650a83dca922f5794e0bf6a8cc7c3d14b7638319c06eb35e272b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"dgeditor\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/author\/dgeditor\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Roman Baby Bottles - Digital Childhoods","description":"Archeolologist Kayt Hawkins describes how these ancient pottery vessels, retaining traces of milk, provide a tangible link to parents in the past.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Roman Baby Bottles - Digital Childhoods","og_description":"Archeolologist Kayt Hawkins describes how these ancient pottery vessels, retaining traces of milk, provide a tangible link to parents in the past.","og_url":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/","og_site_name":"Digital Childhoods","article_published_time":"2024-07-10T10:17:03+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-08-12T14:35:41+00:00","og_image":[{"width":810,"height":614,"url":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/baby-header.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"dgeditor","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"dgeditor","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/","url":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/","name":"Roman Baby Bottles - Digital Childhoods","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/baby-header.png","datePublished":"2024-07-10T10:17:03+00:00","dateModified":"2024-08-12T14:35:41+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#\/schema\/person\/a47f86ab7f4d4eab5e01653df55c4806"},"description":"Archeolologist Kayt Hawkins describes how these ancient pottery vessels, retaining traces of milk, provide a tangible link to parents in the past.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/baby-header.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/baby-header.png","width":810,"height":614},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/roman-baby-bottles\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Roman Baby Bottles"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#website","url":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/","name":"Digital Childhoods","description":"DIGITAL CHILDHOODS","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#\/schema\/person\/a47f86ab7f4d4eab5e01653df55c4806","name":"dgeditor","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b650b42ea5f6650a83dca922f5794e0bf6a8cc7c3d14b7638319c06eb35e272b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b650b42ea5f6650a83dca922f5794e0bf6a8cc7c3d14b7638319c06eb35e272b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"dgeditor"},"url":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/author\/dgeditor\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=823"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":858,"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/823\/revisions\/858"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/shcydigitalchildhoods.org\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}