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Expecting: Birth, Belief and Protection. Gallery Photo: Steven Pocock

Expecting: Birth, Belief and Protection 

‘Expecting’ features a unique birth scroll produced in England around 1500 CE. Birth scrolls were widespread in England and France at this time, but only a handful survive.

This long parchment roll contains Christian prayers and images for protection during childbirth and at other moments of danger. Even today, childbirth involves unpredictable levels of pain and risk. When this scroll was made, pregnant people faced even greater challenges, hoping for a safe delivery and survival.

The scroll is displayed alongside materials that expand our understanding of childbirth in Europe in the 1500s, but also explore the wider use of scrolls for protection. Meanwhile, contemporary work by artists Seyni Awa Camara and Tabitha Moses create connections between the experiences of people today and those living hundreds of years ago to reveal stories of belief, protection and healing across time and culture.

This display includes references to childbirth, fertility and fertility treatments, reproduction, child loss, medical trauma, grief, death, faith and spirituality. The scroll contains an antisemitic image.

If you would like further information, please speak to a member of staff.

Please close the door to help us take care of the objects.

A digital, enlargeable version of the birth scroll is available on the touchscreen in the gallery.

You can also scan the QR code on your phone to access all exhibition texts in screen-readable formats.

We run regular audio described tours for this display. If you would like live audio description for your visit today, please speak to a member of staff.

Lights Up tours and audio described tours:

This advice manual on pregnancy and childbirth was first published in German. This page shows a birthing chair, a piece of furniture that enabled a more active position for giving birth than lying on a bed. The figures below it reveal how people visualised the foetus in the womb before modern-day pregnancy scans. One shows the foetus in the breech position, in which the baby is lying with its bottom or feet down, which can create complications during delivery.

‘The birth of mankynde: otherwyse named the womans booke (...)’

Eucharius Rösslin, adapted by Thomas Raynalde

Courtesy of the artist and The Gallery of Everything

This Italian painting captures a tender moment shortly after the birth of a baby in the setting of a wealthy home. The scene depicts a mother surrounded by attendants. The painting shows a deeply communal experience where each person has a distinct role in supporting her. The interaction between the horoscope reader and the nun highlights the use of both astrological and religious guidance around childbirth.

Purchased Christie Manson and Woods, London, 8 June 1923. Previously property of John Lewis Rutley of 5 Great Newport Street.

The medieval period in Europe lasted from about 500 to 1500 CE. Recipes containing plant, animal and mineral ingredients were widely used by medieval people to treat illnesses, heal wounds and improve health. Remedies were applied to the skin as ointments or plasters, consumed as pills, or drunk as medicinal liquids. There were specific preparations used to support fertility, pregnancy and childbirth.

It is no surprise that traces of food and plants were found on the birth scroll. This was confirmed through a scientific study of biological data found on the surface of the manuscript, a process known as biocodicology. This also revealed that the birth scroll was actively used during pregnancy and childbirth. In the film, protein scientist Dr Sarah Fiddyment, who led the research, provides insight into the methods and materials she used to make these discoveries.

This pocket-sized collection of medical recipes is written in Middle English, the language spoken and written from the late 11th century until the 16th century. It was compiled in Worcestershire and still has its original medieval binding. The recipes treat a wide range of ailments, from fever and gout to dog bites, delirium and a woman’s sore breasts. The left-hand page includes a drawing of a swaddled infant in a rocking cradle. This provides an insight into how babies were cared for soon after birth.

Purchased Sotheby’s, London, 25 June 1985

Biocodicology is the scientific study of biological information stored in manuscripts to uncover details about their materials, uses and origins.

Triboelectricity is an electrical charge produced by rubbing two materials together – like static electricity. Triboelectric extraction uses triboelectricity to separate different substances.

Peptides are compounds made of amino acids linked together in a chain. Amino acids are found in the body and are essential for many bodily functions.

Trypsin is an enzyme produced by the pancreas that digests protein.

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is a scientific technique that combines two processes to analyse and identify the chemical content of liquid samples.

Cervico-vaginal fluid is the mixture of secretions produced in the cervix and vagina that protects the body from infections and plays a role in reproductive processes.

‘Inside the medieval birth scroll with Dr Sarah Fiddyment’

Film transcript: Inside the medieval birth scroll with Dr Sarah Fiddyment 

Wellcome Multimedia and Audiovisual Team, 2025
Film: 4 minutes 59 seconds
Courtesy of Wellcome Collection

 Hello, I’m Doctor Sarah Fiddyment, a protein scientist. A protein scientist is someone who studies the structure and function of proteins to understand their role in biological systems. 

Although I started my career working in a hospital researching proteins involved in heart health, I was really interested in applying my knowledge to a completely different area of interest, which was history. I decided to move into the emerging field of biocodicology, which studies the biological information stored in manuscripts. Biocodicology is a truly interdisciplinary field that relies on the close collaboration between scientists, conservators and manuscript scholars. By studying these ancient proteins that are left on manuscripts we can discover information about the past and the people that used these objects. It gives us a direct link to people who we might otherwise have never known about, making the distant past relatable to our own. 

I was actually approached by Stefania Signorello, a conservator here at the Wellcome collection, about possibly analysing an unusual item in their collection, which turned out to be the birth girdle. Initially we had planned to test the parchment to find out what animal skin had been used to make it, but after further discussion we realised it would make a wonderful case study to see what other proteins could be detected, particularly on the stained areas, to see if we could identify what might have caused them. 

There had been speculation in scholarly discourse, and calls from researchers (for example, Lea Olsan, an expert on medieval charms, prayers and rituals) to do this sort of investigation, but nothing had been attempted until now, so we felt this was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed. The main reason we were able to carry out this kind of analysis was because we developed a non-invasive sampling method that could target specific areas without having to take destructive samples. 

The sampling method is based on triboelectric extraction, which is very similar to the effect you get when you rub a balloon on your jumper and use it to make your hair stand up! We use a conventional eraser and carefully wipe it over the area of interest on the parchment. The proteins on the surface of the parchment are attracted to the eraser and enrobed in the small fragments of eraser waste generated. We then collect these small eraser fragments in a sterile tube and take it back to our lab for analysis. This sampling technique is ideally suited to these fragile objects as the sampling can be carried out in situ by the conservators in their own conservation studio without having to transport the object to a specialist lab. 

Back in our lab we extract all the proteins from the eraser samples and cut them into smaller fragments called peptides, using an enzyme called trypsin (this is a digestive enzyme that we all have in bodies that helps to break down our food). We then analyse the peptides through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) which allows us to identify what species and tissue type the peptides come from. 

What we found was surprising. There were traces of honey, milk, egg and legumes. These food items were used in medieval medicine, both to be consumed and to be applied to the body, and were all ingredients that were used in pregnancy and labour. In addition, we identified a whole suite of human proteins that closely resembled those of cervico-vaginal fluid. This would seem to indicate that the girdle was actively worn by women, most likely during pregnancy and possibly childbirth. 

Findings confirmed that MS.632 was used during pregnancy and childbirth. It was probably used during labour, perhaps even wrapped around a woman’s body as she gave birth. This is the first biochemical evidence we have of medieval birth girdles providing us with direct biochemical evidence of its actual physical use, something that until now had not been able to be proven. This opens up the possibility of exploring other types of manuscripts that show evidence of use or staining and can open up a window onto the past that would otherwise remain hidden. 

For me, this was a unique opportunity to really test the limits of our technique and see what is possible within the scope of biocodicology. Working on such an unusual object required close collaboration with colleagues from all different disciplines to reveal and interpret what is actually a very relatable human story. Having that tangible link with the past of women going through the same experiences we go through today and being able to find real physical evidence of rituals and remedies that they would use was a truly exciting discovery and hopefully it will lead to many more studies where ancient proteins can shine further light on our past.

Ethiopian scroll (one of three, from left to right)

Ethiopian scrolls were produced as early as the 12th century and used for various purposes. Created as protective and healing objects across multiple faiths practised in Ethiopia, they contain tales, prayers and images believed to offer physical and mental cures to the carrier.

These scrolls feature a range of blessings, including those for love, fertility and pregnancy, and against menstrual-related illnesses and vaginal haemorrhage that could lead to child loss. Scrolls like these continue to be used, demonstrating enduring traditions of care, protection and belief held in the power of sacred images and words.

‘Prayer against vaginal haemorrhage and against spontaneous abortion’

Purchased Stevens’s Auction Rooms, 29 July 1924

Ethiopian scroll (two of three, from left to right)

‘Prayer against malicious demons and evil eye (...)’

Parchment with organic inks with leather pouch

Purchased Stevens’s Auction Rooms, 14 December 1915

Previously part of the library of Tewodros II, Emperor of Ethiopia at Maqdala. Taken by British armed forces in April 1868.

Ethiopian scroll (three of three, from left to right)

‘Magical prayers for love and for birth and against various ailments and demons’

Parchment book-block with organic inks with a wooden and fabric cover

Purchased Sotheby’s, 12 December 1929. Previously owned by Governor Walda Tsagga from Askwena in the Agau region.

We know at least one of the Ethiopian manuscripts on display here was taken from Maqdala in Northwest Ethiopia by British Armed Forces in 1868. The looting of the fortress of Maqdala was part of a military expedition by the British to punish Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia.

Over 1,000 manuscripts were taken by British soldiers and sold in auctions, mostly in London, at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. These stolen manuscripts and other purchased objects were bought by many museums in London, including the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum. The manuscripts on display here were bought at auction in London in 1915, 1924 and 1929. We are displaying them to show how protective scrolls were used in Ethiopian culture.

We want to be transparent about what is in our collections and how it got here. We are committed to further discussions around the future of these manuscripts as part of our work to examine the roots of our collections.

This birth scroll is unique. It is one of very few similar scrolls that survive from medieval England. It features religious Christian images and texts in both Latin and English that offer protection in dangerous situations. These include childbirth, but also battle, storms and plague. A user could read or recite the texts, look at or touch the images, and carry or wear the scroll to gain its benefits.

During labour, the scroll could be wrapped around the body as a girdle or belt. We can see that it has been used from the staining and wear visible on the manuscript.

The scroll contains an antisemitic image.

‘Birth scroll with prayers and invocations to Saints Quiricus and Julitta’

This display creates connections between pre-medieval and contemporary histories of fertility, pregnancy and childbirth through the works of artists Seyni Awa Camara (b. 1945) and Tabitha Moses (b. 1971). Their works draw on personal experience, which is expressed through their use of materials, including embroidered textiles and clay sculptures.

Both artists engage with themes of motherhood, loss and resilience. Their voices highlight the ongoing need to acknowledge the diversity of reproductive experiences.

In the UK today, approximately one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage. Black people and people of colour are nearly four times more likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth than white people, while socioeconomic background and age also lead to increased risk. These realities reflect the continuing inequalities in reproductive healthcare.

These contemporary works create a connection between the enduring traditions of protection and urgent conversations around the present and future of reproductive health.

These works are part of Tabitha Moses’s series ‘Investment’, which explores her personal experience of undergoing multiple in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments. During this time, she sought various forms of protection and support through acupuncture, hypnotherapy and working with a doula, a non-medical companion for pregnancy and childbirth.  

In the works, the artist tells Melanie’s story, and Melanie shares her own experience of fertility treatment. Through photography and detailed embroidery, Moses captures the symbolic stages of IVF, representing not only her own emotional and physical journey, but also that of others who have undergone similar processes in their hopes of becoming pregnant.

Giclée print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag paper

Various threads, linen and cotton binding

Seyni Awa Camara’s work is rooted in her experience of multiple failed pregnancies and miscarriages, followed by medical complications. She later adopted her husband’s sons and other children, whom she nurtures as her own.

Deeply embedded in her Senegalese Wolof heritage, Camara’s practice centres on motherhood as both an intimate and symbolic role. Her unglazed sculptures, built with clay from the belly of the Earth, are populated by children, animals and parents. They symbolise her life and embody her healing journey, as well as offering protection for the people that engage with them. Her work reflects the cyclical nature of life and death, anchoring her experiences in ancient spiritual traditions.

Please use the touchscreen to explore key symbols, figures and stains on the scroll.

- Use two fingers to pinch to zoom in and out.

- Tap the white circles to find out more.

- Tap on the ‘Front’ and ‘Back’ images at the bottom of the screen to swap between the two sides of the scroll.

A full-length facsimile is also available to show the scroll’s size and content. It is not made from parchment or animal skin.

Listen to audio about the birth scroll on the headphones or via the QR code.

Click on the transcript link to see the touchcreen interpretation text.

Touchscreen guide to ‘Birth scroll with prayers and invocations to Saints Quiricus and Julitta’

1. “Gyrde thys mesure a bowte hyr wombe”:

This instruction to “gird (wrap) this measure around her womb” was directed to “a woman travailing (labouring) with child”. This is why scrolls like this are sometimes called ‘birth girdles’.

This is an image of the arma Christi, the instruments used during Christ’s crucifixion, which included a spear, a sword, a ladder, a knotted whip, a hammer, and dice. It also features an antisemitic caricature of a Jewish man. This reflects common negative stereotypes of Jewish people in medieval Christian society. Texts and images of the arma Christi were very popular in medieval England as a focus for prayer, and as a way to ask for divine assistance.

3. “Thus moche more ys oure lady seynt mary lenger”:

Manuscripts often included measurements of saints and other holy figures as a means to help the reader to feel closer to them and ask for their help. The text here states that “This much more is our lady Saint Mary longer”, referring to the length of the manuscript. If this statement was correct, the Virgin Mary would reach an astonishing height of over three metres (11 feet) tall.

This red text in Middle English promises protection against a number of dangerous situations in exchange for looking at or carrying the image of the cross below. Protection is offered against wicked spirits, thunder and lightning, battle, drowning, fire, plague or epidemic disease, and childbirth. A similar text appears on the dorse side of this manuscript. ‘Dorse’ is a term used to refer to the reverse side of documents, especially those on single sheets of parchment or paper.

The torn edges and stained sections are a result of heavy use. Scientific analysis has shown these stains come from honey, egg cereals, milk, and legumes (plants from the pea family), which were all used in medieval medical remedies. Traces of cervico-vaginal fluid (secretions produced by the lower parts of the reproductive system, the cervix and the vagina) were also found.

This stylised image of Christ’s side wound, with its cascading blood droplets, sits between two texts about the wounds. The English text gives a specific number of blood droplets (547,500 in total), encouraging the reader to meditate on both text and image, using counting as a devotional and calming technique.

Written in two lines along the length of the roll, this text is similar to one on the face (or front) side of this manuscript. Both promise protection from various dangers. This one instructs the reader to recite a set number of prayers to activate the scroll’s benefits.

The benefits of this scroll were unlocked through physical interaction (wearing or carrying the manuscript, and touching or kissing its images and text), which wore away a lot of the ink, leaving sections completely unreadable. Every time the manuscript is unrolled, more pigment flakes off and there is more risk of damage.

This section lists the names of God interspersed with red crosses. Some of the names include: “tetragrammaton” (the four-letter Hebrew name of God, YHWH); “alpha et oo” (alpha and omega, the beginning and the end); “agnus” (the Lamb); and “ego sum” (“I am”). It is followed by the names of other holy figures, like the Magi, archangels (Michael, Gabriel and Raphael), and various saints (Mary, Anne, Katherine, Margaret, Dorothy and Barbara). At each cross, the reader would perform their devotion physically by making the sign of the cross with their hands.

This is a depiction of the three nails used during Christ’s crucifixion, a common focus for prayer and meditation in medieval culture. This manuscript has a limited colour palette (red, blue, green and brown), and the brown staining here was originally a colour wash for decorative purposes.

Medieval manuscripts were often made from parchment – treated animal skin. This scroll, made from sheepskin, was constructed by sewing together long strips of parchment to create its three-metre length.

Unlike a book, with its protective covers, a scroll is a much more vulnerable format. This roll is likely missing sections from both the beginning and end – these areas would have been the most exposed, and therefore most vulnerable to damage and loss. 

Use a reflection card to consider your own beliefs, protective practices and healing rituals. Feel free to keep your card with you, or if you wish, share your reflections with others here.

Are there spiritual, sacred or everyday rituals you do to protect your health and wellbeing? Where did these come from? How do they provide you with comfort or support? 

What did this display make you think or feel about museums and collections? 

Curated by Cindy Sissokho, Wellcome Collection, with Dr Elma Brenner, Wellcome Collection and Dr Kierri Price, independent researcher.

Project Managers: Silvia Bordin, Annie Rolington

Audiovisual and interactive: Jeremy Bryans, Ollie Isaac

Conservators: Kath Knowles, Stefania Signorello, Robert Spicer

Photography: Benjamin Gilbert, Steven Pocock

Exhibition Design and Graphic Production: Martin McGrath Studio

Exhibition Technicians: Lawrence Corby, Keith Martin

We would like to thank the artists, contributors and internal and external colleagues who have generously shared their knowledge, expertise and ideas and contributed to the planning, delivery and ongoing development of the display. 

Special thanks to Dr Elma Brenner (Research Development Lead, Wellcome Collection) who originally proposed the idea for this display in conversation with Dr Kierri Price (independent researcher and former CHASE AHRC Collaborative Doctoral Award student, Birkbeck and Wellcome Collection). We also thank Dr Isabel Davis, Eyob Derillo and Dr Sarah Fiddyment for their expertise, project consultancy and guidance.

Expecting: Birth, Belief and Protection

https://images.prismic.io/wellcomecollection/aXI1oQIvOtkhB0iB_Porumfio_AnnaMariaMaiolino.jpg?auto=format,compress&rect=0,183,3508,1973&w=3200&h=1800

Por um fio (By a Thread), from Fotopoemação (Photopoemaction) series, 1976/2017, Anna Maria Maiolino

The Coming of Age

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‘Thirst: In Search of Freshwater’ an exhibition at Wellcome Collection

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Discover how self-published zines have been used to share individual expriences of disability and disabled identity.

https://images.prismic.io/wellcomecollection/Z-QetXdAxsiBv74b_017-BTG250304142757.jpg?auto=format%2Ccompress&w=3200&h=1800

Zines Forever! DIY Publications and Disability Justice, a Display at Wellcome Collection. Gallery Photo: Benjamin Gilbert

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1880-that-christine-sun-kim-and-thomas-mader

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1880 THAT, an exhibition by Christine Sun Kim and Thomas Mader at Wellcome Collection. Gallery Photo: Steven Pocock

1880 THAT: Christine Sun Kim and Thomas Mader

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Money Makes the World Go Round, Lindsey Mendick, 2024 Commissioned by Wellcome Collection

Hard Graft: Work, Health and Rights

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Expecting: Birth, Belief and Protection digital guides

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