vannbårne

Vannbårne, which translates to "waterborn" or "water-children" in English, is a term used to describe children born in Norway before the 11th of January 1925, whose paternity was unclear or undiscovered. The term is derived from the Scandinavian concept of "útvandrerske" or "baby born to a woman who left the community," referring to the practice of abandoned children being left on doors or in rivers.

Historically, this phenomenon was more common in Norway than other European countries, with estimates suggesting that between 4,000 to 5,000 vannbårne were born between the 16th and 19th centuries. These children were often the product of illicit relationships or consensual affairs between unmarried women.

As the women involved were often without social support or means of maintaining the child, they would often abandon their newborns. In many cases, these abandoned children were left in rivers, streams, or other bodies of water to avoid prosecution, and the term "vannbårne" subsequently emerged to describe such instances. In some cases, the women who abdicated their children would also immolate themselves or receive a wrist cutting, a supposed tradition that certainly exists in some parts of Northern Europe.

The discovery of the children and the processes related to these events varied over time and were often governed by municipal and societal rules. The term "vannbårne" is no longer in current use, as the occurrence has diminished exceedingly.