Kindheiten in archäologischen Erzählungen

Abstract

Archaeological fictional narratives can offer a point of reflection for primary school pupils. The representation and construction of childhood in this type of literature offers pupils the possibility to connect archaeology with their own experiences. In the effort to propose a conscious and reflective use of archaeological fiction within primary school history lessons, this paper analyses the construction of childhood within these narratives. The authors need to take into account the specific requirements of this literary genre as well as reconcile the transmission of scientific knowledge with fictional prose. The representation of the protagonists and their role-models is thus fictional, but whilst vividly reconstructing the past, they have to remain believable. This paper therefore questions which constructs of childhood form the basis fort his type of literature? How is the current discourse of childhood reflected in the literary reconstructions? What connects modern childhood with the childhood projected into the past, and what differentiates the two? What role models are being offered to the young readers?