SSCIP Annual lecture 2026: Prof. Sian Halcrow

Forgotten histories: Tracing the lives and postmortem treatment of infants in anatomical collections.

Historically overlooked in bioarchaeology, fetal and infant remains are now recognized as critical indicators of maternal health, environmental stress, and broader social conditions. The study of these remains reveals how the health and care of pregnant people and infants were—and continue to be—shaped by structural inequalities and social hierarchies. Yet, within anatomical collections, fetal and infant bodies remain underexamined despite their potential to illuminate intersections of gender, class, religion, and power in past societies. This talk will critically explore the representation and treatment of fetuses and infants in anatomical contexts, tracing how marginalized individuals—particularly the children of unmarried or impoverished women—became disproportionately incorporated into anatomical collections. Engaging with contemporary debates in bioethics and social justice, it addresses the ethical challenges posed by the continued use of these remains.

The event will be hybrid both in person (Durham University, Room W103) and online at this link

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Host or Publisher SSCIP Outreach officer ([email protected])