Craniopagus Twins - Early History

Early History

Conjoined twinning is one of the oldest known birth defects in history and examples with human’s fascination with twins is extremely evident throughout historical literature. The Gemini constellation, known in Greek mythology as Castor and Pollux, is arguably one the of most well known set of twins of all time. In history, Castor and Pollux fought Greek battles alongside other famous war heroes like Herkules and Achilles. The Greeks held these twins in high standing and were seen not just as warriors but as Gods. Although there are cases of conjoined twins dating back to as early as the 10th century, it was not until 1491 that the first case was documented. Apart from that, Sebastian Munster’s Cosmographia universalis provides the true first account of craniopagus twins who happened to live for ten years, exceeding many expectations during that time. He describes the set of twins as being a unique malformation and a punishment from their mother’s mistake. Furthermore in Ambroise Pare’s book, “On Monsters and Marvels”, various types of “supernatural” twinning are illustrated and described as “monstrous and marvelous creatures that proceed from the judgment of God.” This published history suggests that conjoined twins, and in specific craniopagus twins, were viewed as literal monsters during that era. However, new technology, surgical interventions and successful operations has worked on removing these ancient stereotypes and given conjoined twins the social acceptance they deserve.