Infant carrying in early prehistory: an investigation into technological possibilities using ethnographic data

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Exploring the Intersection of Ethnography and Technology: Understanding the Evolution of Human Technologies through Ethnographic Research" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Baby slings and carrier are frequently theorised as the earliest examples of containers and containment technology, with important evolutionary implications for infant care and mobility practices. While the direct data on prehistoric infant carriers are limited, the ethnographic record of infant carrying among recent mobile hunter-gatherers can provide us with relevant insights into the technological possibilities regarding the materiality of early carriers. Here, we report on an exploratory descriptive study of the cross-cultural ethnographic data on infant carriers using the Human Relations Area Files (eHRAF) database. Data on infant carrying behaviours and technology were collated, and a database created to examine any patterns, trends and correlates in the technology of baby-wearing in recent small-scale, mobile hunter-gatherer societies. With reference to the wider Pleistocene archaeological and palaeoanthropological records, we offer some initial comments on how these cross-cultural comparisons can be used to generate ‘expectations’ surrounding the form and function of early baby carriers.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Exploring the Intersection of Ethnography and Technology: Understanding the Evolution of Human Technologies through Ethnographic Research   •
• Society for American Archaeology 90th Annual Meeting, Denver, CO (2025)

Keywords

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 53617