Woodcut on Awagami kitakata

This woodcut depicts the cranium of Mary Ashberry, 3’ 6” tall, who died in 1856. While living and working in Norfolk, Virginia, Ms. Ashberry became pregnant. Tragically, Mary's pelvis was too contracted to allow the natural birth of her child and they both died in the attempt.

Mary Ashberry’s skeleton is held in the collection of the Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.