Embriologia gemellare: discorso medico e rappresentazioni collettive

Abstract

Twins contributed to the development of different medical theories about generation. Conceived in a single sexual relationship, thanks to an excess of seminal material, or the result of superfetation, with one or more sexual partners, twins were perceived as ambivalent beings, either as signs of abundance, or on the opposite as contrary to natural and social order because of adultery. Comparing the similarity of twins with eggs adds to their association with animality.