Umbilical cord box
Parents sometimes wished to keep the umbilical cord, as a tangible, first memory of their child, in a box. This was also what the parents of Anne Sikkema from Friesland thought. He came into the world on 31 January 1853 and his umbilical cord was dried and put in a box to ward off evil spirits. The placenta was also sometimes kept. If it was buried under a bed of red roses, their baby would have sweet, pink cheeks.
Date
1853
Materials
Wood
Dimensions
height:
5 cm
diameter:
7 cm