[TontoKowalski]

Childbirth did tend to kill you.

27 children from 4 mothers means that each had, on average, about 7 children. Taking into account the dangers of childbirth and infant mortality, that is astonishing.

I imagine (although I have not researched this) that woman giving birth to seven live children would have been noteworthy, even in the Middle Ages.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Not 27 children from those same 4 women. Five generations in the tomb which would mean (if we allow each women one child which would be the minimum possible) four in the first generation and about five in each following generation.

There were also eight "step-sons" where the woman apparently joined along the community with her child.

Really a fascinating find. I will need to locate the original paper in order to answer a lot of questions I have.