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 Anglo/Saxon childbirth

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Islanddawn
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Islanddawn

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Join date : 2012-01-05
Location : Greece

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PostSubject: Anglo/Saxon childbirth   Anglo - Anglo/Saxon childbirth EmptyThu 27 Jun 2013, 11:58

Interesting article and archaeological report on female burials together with in utero fetal skeletons. An aspect of burials that I had not considered before, but of course, considering the high mortality rate of woman during childbirth years, I'd suppose that it would not have been a rare occurance in any cemetry.

http://bonesdontlie.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/anglo-saxon-child-birth-and-female-fertility/

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00438243.2013.799044

Although I'm a bit non plussed by possible suggestions from archaeologists 

Sayer and Dickinson (2013) argue that during this period there was a system of social rules, marriage restrictions and taboos meant to control and support female fertility, inferred from historic texts. Therefore, they believe that leaving the fetus within the body or in place wasn’t an accident, it was meant to be a symbol of their power and fertility. Children are important to creating lineages, having a workforce, and aiding the future- therefore child-bearing women had a power and status to be revered.

Surely common sense would dictate here instead of applying mythical 'female power and fertitlity' theories to the practice? A live feotus may well have been buried with the mother simply because the chances of it surviving without the mother (or surrogate mother) would have been very slim indeed at that time. No nipping down to the local supermarket for a tin of powdered baby formula after all.
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Islanddawn
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Islanddawn

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PostSubject: Re: Anglo/Saxon childbirth   Anglo - Anglo/Saxon childbirth EmptySun 28 Jul 2013, 17:09

http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/07/2013/much-ado-about-babies

Not Anglo/Saxon, but an interesting article on the narratives of reproduction during the 16th and 17th centuries which highlights many of the same concerns that parents have today.
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Priscilla
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Priscilla

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PostSubject: Re: Anglo/Saxon childbirth   Anglo - Anglo/Saxon childbirth EmptyMon 29 Jul 2013, 16:37

I am sure it is very interesting topic,ID but am feeling somewhat saturated on the general subject for the moment. Not long now either for the Pippa book series which will begin with how to be  A Trendy Auntie, then Pippa's Meals for a Royal Nursery and so on.
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