Blood is thicker than baptismal water: A late medieval perinatal burial in a small household chest

The interment of stillborn infants in later medieval burial grounds stands at odds with Catholic Church Law, which forbade the inclusion unbaptised children within consecrated ground. When perinatal remains occur graveyards, their interpretation can be problematic. Did they live to baptised, or do such examples represent clandestine burials? Historical documents indicate that some parents disobeyed and secretly buried offspring Proving actions archaeological record, however, is another matter. This paper therefore investigates discovery a (Sk953) rural graveyard Poulton Cheshire, England, placed small household box. A multifaceted approach was used interpret varying strands evidence. These comprised church law, birth, container, orientation corpse, local topography, date burial, status when infant interred. authors evidence as characteristic rare expression grief love visible record.