CINCINNATI , OHIO.- The first major exhibition exploring children in ancient Greece is on view at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Coming of Age in Ancient Greece : Images of Childhood from the Classical Past, which brings to life the stories of children in ancient Greece, runs through Aug. 1.

This traveling exhibition, spanning 1,500 years, features approximately 120 examples of Greek art on loan from North American and European collections. These art works, including bronze and stone sculpture, vases, jewelry, toys, coins and marble grave monuments, provide for the first time a glimpse of life as a Greek child.

�The Greeks were the first people known to depict children realistically in art, rather than as miniature adults,� said Glenn Markoe, Ph. D., curator of Ancient and Near Eastern art at the Museum. �And while written accounts of Greek children are scarce, the art in this exhibition tells us many stories about what life was like growing up in ancient Greece.�

Families can explore various aspects of children�s lives � from birth and infancy, education and play, to the passage into adult life and death. Specifically, subjects represented in the artifacts include images of children with their mothers or nannies, mythological children and schoolroom scenes, as well as elaborately carved gravestones. And of course, as an exhibition about children, Coming of Age in Ancient Greece features ancient Greek toys, including miniature Trojan horses and game pieces for knucklebones.

Other toys in the exhibition show that while many things have changed for children in the past few thousand years, some have remained the same. Coming of Age in Ancient Greece features dolls, including some with movable legs and arms, which are still popular today. And a terracotta plate depicts a game called ephedrismos, similar to today�s blind man�s bluff.

�This exhibition offers a tangible link to the past through art that gives us a true sense of everyday Greek life,� Markoe said. �Carefully designed to appeal to visitors of all ages, Coming of Age in Ancient Greece incorporates interactive, hands-on learning components that will engage families and encourage them to explore the timeless aspects of family and childhood.�