At the age of seven, children were considered old enough to start working. Britta Matsdotter was only a child herself when she was hired to take care of Anders Gustavsson's baby, who was still in the cradle. She worked there as a maidservant for seven years. She later accused Anders of having paid her almost nothing during that time. There were countless differences between beggars' children on the streeets and the children of the rich merchants. Some of them had time to play. In the grounds underneath Gothenburg, toys sometimes turn up, such as spinning tops, ocarina in the form of an cucko that has lost its head, a bone flute or a gaming dice.
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SPINNING TOPS from the 1600s, found in Gothenburg. (G:1976:1:2, GM:15884)
OCARINA, a simple ceramic birdshaped wind instrument. It has lost its head. (G:1976:1:3)
GAMING DICE from the 1600s. (G:2)