Blow your whistle: Ceramic whistles in early modern Lisbon

Ceramic figurine whistles are occasionally found in archaeological excavations of Early Modern archaeological sites (16th-18th centuries) at several locations in the greater Lisbon region. The majority have surfaces covered with a green or yellow lead glaze and are made in a variety of different shapes. They are usually recovered from domestic contexts associated with other material culture articulating the daily lives of the urban population. Drawing on artefacts found at Carnide, a suburb in northern Lisbon, this paper aims to highlight the significance of discussing these objects usually interpreted as children's toys, despite the fact that this interpretation need not be universal in terms of whether it can reflect specific identities and groups within households and what they can tell us about the activities developed by children.