A recent archaeological study highlights the personal lives of medieval sex workers through the burial of an infant found in a 14th-century brothel in Aalst, Belgium. Biomolecular analyses reveal that the child, who died at three months, was breastfed and buried near the hearthâa deliberate act suggesting maternal affection rather than abandonment. This discovery contradicts previous beliefs linking prostitution in the Middle Ages solely to neglect and infanticide, instead illuminating the emotional and cultural contexts surrounding these women and their experiences.
By extracting ancient DNA and analyzing stable isotopes from the infant's ribs, the researchers confirmed both his sex and that he was actively being breastfed before death, evidence pointing to postnatal care.
The smoldering embers allowed the child to return and warm up at night, Poulain notes.
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