bones and teeth help reveal whether teenagers have always been a source of worry for their parents

today, adolescence is a tumultuous period of change and distress, with clinical research suggesting it is a  key phase of development , responsible for long-term mental and physical well-being.

bioarcheologists — people who study  human remains from archeological sites  — are trying to answer those questions. as a  bioarcheologist , i examine bones and teeth to better understand when kids started to look like and act like adults in the roman empire (first to fifth centuries ce).

teenagers were innovative

in the  upper paleolithic  (50,000 to 12,000 years ago) and  neolithic  (around 12,000 to 6,500 years ago), teenagers were innovative and played an important role in the  origin and spread of new ideas . they were  highly mobile , creative and felt driven to meet and interact with new groups.

similarly, teens today are  creating more words , tiktok dances and social trends than any other age group. they’re also developing new ways to  detect cancers  and  assess wounds , demonstrating that age is not a requirement for innovation.

being “wired for innovation” may be due to the unique  plasticity of the adolescent brain , which makes teens more open to learning new skills and taking on new opportunities.

teens are often ahead of the curve as they set trends. gettyyouth’s fear of missing out may be fuelling feelings of social disconnection during covid-19

teenagers tried on adult roles

for teens today, having a part-time job has  short- and long-term benefits , including higher incomes and better networking skills later in life. however, there are some risks, particularly for those who work too much. studying teens of the past shows us that this is not new.

thousands of years ago, in the neolithic, teens were practising to be adults, learning how to  throw spears  and hunt big game, joining adults in providing for their communities.

similarly, in the roman empire 2,000 years ago, bioarcheological and ancient literary sources indicate young men  began apprenticeships  or joined the military under semi-protected status as teens, although this  didn’t happen overnight  and was a gradual process.

when these changes happened quickly, like in  18th-century canada , teens faced poor health and well-being, mirroring patterns we see today. those who take on full adult roles too quickly can face consequences, but a gradual transition has benefits.

teenagers didn’t have an identity crisis

today, teens are often seen as troublesome and difficult. ancient roman writers, too, described adolescence as a period of “ hooliganism and debauchery ,” when young men were encouraged to drink heavily and visit brothels (although  recent bioarcheological  research may suggest this is only true of wealthy families).

in the upper paleolithic, there was no “ teenage rebellion ,” likely because paleolithic teens had a strong sense of self and belonging, as well as a  sense of individual autonomy .

when moving from small, open-air communities to large, fortified communities in 13th-century arizona, older children and teens found many of the activities that had helped create a  sense of autonomy were gone . they no longer fetched water or worked with clay, making them less capable as farmers, hunters and foragers as they became adults.

and we may be seeing similar patterns today — teens are losing their autonomy by not having the opportunity to  participate in adult roles . however, not all changes in 13th-century arizona were negative. the move to larger communities also meant that these teens had greater opportunities to meet people, leading to new social skills and opportunities.

evolutionary basis for behaviour?

this article is republished from the conversation under a creative commons license. read the   original article .

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bones and teeth help reveal whether teenagers have always been a source of worry for their parents

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