Did the ancient Egyptians/Romans/Greeks/Indigenous Americas/Chinese/Indian/etc. cultures have the concept of cuteness? Did their languages have a word for what we today describe as cute, such as baby animals, anime characters with big eyes, anything miniature compared to the normal size item, such as a miniature stapler - or maybe in those days a miniature statue or miniature axe.
Or is cuteness as we know it today a fairly modern concept?
Thank you.
I always thought cuteness was basically about our nurturing instinct, that allows our absurdly helpless and annoying offspring to survive.
Probably about a hundred million years before humans evolved. All animals that care extensively for their young (which includes all mammals) have instincts to respond more favorably to things that look like babies. “Cuteness” is just a human term for that instinct as it manifests in us.
Not much on the history of the concept, but I was surprised by the research into how cuteness is defined.
when the ancient feline species realized it could sucker the ancient humans into raising its offspring with big eyes and purring …