Relationships and Connections through Breast Milk: An Examination of Ancient Egyptian Perspectives on Breastfeeding

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Archaeologies of Motherhood" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

To understand the usage of breastfeeding in ancient Egyptian art and ritual it is necessary to examine and explore the ancient perspectives and beliefs which contextualized their creation. This includes the role of breastfeeding in a child’s upbringing and growth as well as the relationship between a child and its nurse (whether mother or wet-nurse) with my interest being focused especially on the latter. This paper examines the role of breastfeeding and breast feeders in ancient Egyptian society and how an understanding of everyday breastfeeding influences our understanding of its usage in ritual and political settings, or “high-status” settings. I will also examine what may be learned regarding everyday breastfeeding from images of nursing goddesses. As a common aspect of motherhood, the topic of breastfeeding offers a means by which to examine the way mothers were understood by their societies and the ways mothers may have understood their own roles. The usage of breastfeeding’s image in society also offers an opportunity to examine the influence of motherhood on ritual, political, and social practices and beliefs.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)   •
• Archaeologies of Motherhood

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38351.0