Being born with a caul is an unusual phenomenon. It happens when a baby enters the world with a thin layer of the amniotic membrane still covering its head or face. It creates a pretty startling appearance, especially for people who didn’t understand the biology behind it. Throughout history, cultures around the world have attached all sorts of supernatural meanings to these births. Some believed caul-born babies had positive gifts, while others thought the children would become witches. Regardless, historically, people have had strong reactions to these rare babies. Here are eight of the most interesting old-school beliefs associated with caul births.
They Would Never Drown
One of the most widespread beliefs about caul-born babies was that they were protected against one very specific thing: drowning. In British and European maritime folklore, a person born with a caul was incapable of drowning, no matter how dangerous the journey at sea became. Some people believed the caul itself held protective powers, while others thought it was only the child who would be protected throughout life. The connection between a birth membrane and surviving at sea is admittedly a bit strange. But the association was so well established that cauls were sometimes kept after birth; they were later sold to sailors as protective, good-luck charms. Odd that a piece of old membrane was a perfectly normal seafaring supply.
Their Cauls Could Protect Entire Ships
The protection against drowning wasn’t always limited to the person born with the caul. British sailors thought having preserved cauls aboard ships could prevent shipwrecks and other disasters at sea. Historical newspaper advertisements document cauls being offered for sale to sailors. The membranes could bring in surprisingly high prices. Some were carefully dried and stored for years, while others were passed between owners. Today, ships have life jackets and advanced rescue boats; back then, the safety plan was a dried birth membrane.
They Could See Ghosts and Spirits
In some European cultures, children born with a caul were said to have the ability to see invisible beings. This could include ghosts, spirits, or other supernatural entities. The belief was tied to the idea that the caul represented a veil between the physical and spiritual worlds. A child born covered by this veil was able to see through the boundary separating the living from the dead. Caul-born people were described as especially intuitive or sensitive to supernatural activity. Not every tradition agreed on what these children could see, but the general idea was that they had access to a world most people didn’t.
They Were Destined to Become Healers
Sometimes, being born with a caul was a sign that a child was a healer. The medical curiosity was evidence that the baby had been marked for a special purpose. Caul-born individuals could cure the sick and recognize illnesses that average people couldn’t understand.
They Could Fight Witches While They Slept
In northeastern Italy, an unusual group known as the benandanti claimed they could battle witches while their physical bodies were asleep. According to accounts recorded during the 16th and 17th centuries, these individuals’ spirits left their bodies on certain nights for the purpose of supernatural fights. The outcome determined the success of the year’s harvest. Witches win, crops fail; benandanti win, crops thrive. The benandanti’s weapon of choice was fennel stalks, while their witch opponents carried sorghum stalks. Many members of this odd group claimed they had been born with a caul, meaning they had been chosen for the special role. The benandanti generally saw themselves as protectors of their communities. Unfortunately, church authorities didn’t buy it. Some benandanti found themselves accused of the very thing they claimed to fight.
They Were Destined for Good Luck and Prosperity
In many European traditions, a caul was considered a sign of exceptional good luck. Children born with one were going to be prosperous and successful. Families preserved their child’s caul as a treasured good-luck charm, believing it might bring wealth to the household.
They Could Predict the Future
Caul-born children were sometimes thought to possess the gift of prophecy. They would grow up to foresee important events or receive warnings through dreams. In parts of Britain and Ireland, the idea of second sight was already well established in folklore. Caul births simply piggybacked on the concept.
They Might Become Witches or Supernatural Beings
While many viewed caul births as fortunate, others were much more suspicious of the odd face-covering membrane. In parts of southeastern Europe, birth cauls were tied to supernatural beings, including witches and vampires. The exact beliefs varied between communities, and the color or appearance of the membrane could determine how the birth was interpreted. It’s important to distinguish these regional beliefs from the more positive traditions surrounding caul-born children elsewhere in Europe. The contrast is striking. In one part of Europe, a baby born with a caul was cause for celebration. In another, the same birth would evoke fear.