ABSTRACT
Bioarchaeology is the study of human skeletal remains situated within a social, cultural, and historical context that explores the lived experience of individuals and populations. As the youngest individuals captured within the bioarchaeological record, fetuses are both a physical and social body characterized by the womb and post-womb worlds. Fetuses are the outcome of successful reproduction; therefore, their physical remains allow bioarchaeologists to investigate elements of reproduction, identity, and personhood that might otherwise be invisible in the past. Until recently, the study of non-adult individuals (including fetuses) in bioarchaeology has been limited due to narrowly focused research questions that prioritize adult experiences and identities. However, feminist bioarchaeology has refocused research on non-adult individuals to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the lived experience across geographic and temporal divisions. This chapter explores the fetus through a critical review of bioarchaeological theory and mortuary analysis. While the understanding of personhood and identity are limited by the physical remains that can be recovered and analyzed, larger social and cultural understandings of the fetus and its place within the reproductive and social realm can be extrapolated.
