Tod im Kindbett
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Archaeological and anthropological examples provide a wide range of insights about death during childbirth and the subsequent puerperium. Women and children who died during this liminal phase were given special treatment in burial customs, due to reasons ranging from special care to protective measures to influence their postmortem fate. This study covers examples from the High Middle Ages to the nineteenth century, from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. The most significant findings are double burials of a woman and a foetus, often interpreted as mother–infant pairs. Based on the position of the child, it is possible to determine whether the child went through birth or remained in the womb at the time of burial. Other archaeological sources include special grave goods (e.g. scissors) and burial containers. The deposition of so-called placenta pots in domestic cellars testifies to magical ideas surrounding the birth topic.
Source: University Library Heidelberg
Language: English
Subfield: Anthropology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W6925514412
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