Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Anne Austin
Final Abstract for URS Program
Academics have worked for years to reassert understandings of medieval childhood following historian Philippe Aries’ bold claims of a medieval apathy towards children. However, this focus on deconstructing Aries’ arguments has centered childhood in discussions of medieval life stages. This leaves the study of medieval adolescence largely neglected. Despite Dr. James A. Schultz addressing this significant gap in 1991, the lack of literature discussing medieval adolescence remains. Additionally, such research focuses primarily on literary evidence or bioarchaeological evidence and therefore limits the scope. Future studies must consider broader sources of evidence. The Erbach tomb relief, depicting two noble siblings who died at ten and sixteen, is a compelling piece of archaeological evidence of medieval conceptions of adolescence. As academics expand into discussions of medieval adolescence, the Erbach relief provides a rare, new insight into the stylistic choices used to depict noble adolescence in death.
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Document Type
Article