Amy Scott

Associate Professor

Anthropology

Annex C 27

Fredericton

amy.scott@unb.ca
1 506 458 7994



Dr. Amy Scott (she/her) is a bioarchaeologist who specializes in studies of stress and health in ancient populations. Current research interests include: biochemical analyses of ancient proteins, social bioarchaeology and the lived experience, mortuary patterning and spatial analysis, identity and age in burial contexts, and bioarchaeological ethics and excavation standards. Her geographic regions of interest include: 18th century Atlantic Canada, medieval Denmark, and post-medieval Poland.

Dr. Scott joined UNB in July 2016 and is currently funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Dr. Scott is also the project director of the UNB Bioarchaeology Field School program in partnership with Parks Canada at the Fortress of Louisbourg, NS and runs the UNB Bioarchaeology Research and Teaching (BART) lab.

Courses taught

  • ANTH 2505 Biological Anthropology
  • ANTH 3523 Forensic Anthropology
  • ANTH 3524 Paleopathology
  • ANTH 3525 Human Osteology
  • ANTH 3526 The Anthropology of Death
  • ANTH 3552 Bioarchaeology Field School
  • ANTH 4524 Bioarchaeology

Selected peer-reviewed articles and book chapters

Hughes N, Scott A. 2024. Proteins and our past: An exploration of human bone protein from the 18th-century Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia and its potential applications in bioarchaeological research. Canadian Journal of Archaeology (in press)

Hughes N, Scott A, Pitcher D. 2024. Surgery under siege: A case study of leg amputation in 18th century Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, Canada. International Journal of Paleopatholology, 44:112-118.

Scott, A, Betsinger T, MacInnes S, Hughes N, Fonzo M, Forbes M. 2023. A colony without a cough? A bioarchaeological exploration of tuberculosis at the eighteenth-century Fortress of Louisbourg, Canada. Historical Archaeology, 57:315–335.

Scott A, MacInnes S, Hughes N, Munkittrick J, Harris A, Grimes V. 2023. A bioarchaeological exploration of adolescent males at the 18th century Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, Canada. Bioarchaeology International (special issue) 7(2):146-172.

Betsinger T, Scott A. 2023 Back to back: The co-occurrence of DISH and ankylosing spondylitis from Early Modern Poland. International Journal of Paleopathology 40:1-6.

Scott A, MacInnes S, Hughes N, Munkittrick J, Harris A, Grimes V. A Bioarchaeological Exploration of Adolescent Males at the 18th Century Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, Canada. Bioarchaeology International (special issue) (accepted).

Betsinger T, Scott A. 2023 Back to Back: The Co-occurrence of DISH and Ankylosing Spondylitis from Early Modern Poland. International Journal of Paleopathology 40:1-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2022.11.002.

Scott A, Betsinger T. 2022. Reproduction in the past: A bioarchaeological exploration of the fetus and its significance. Routledge Handbook of Anthropology and Reproduction. Han S, Tomori C, editors. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge. ISBN 9780367278366.

Scott A, Danforth M, MacInnes S, Hughes N, Fonzo M. 2020. Colonial urbanism: A comparative exploration of skeletal stress in two 18th century North American French colonies. Bioarchaeology of Urbanization: The Biological, Demographic, and Social Consequences of Living in Cities. Betsinger T, DeWitte S, editors. New York: Springer Press, pp. 275-294.

Fonzo M, Scott A, Duffy M. 2020. With people came parasites: An examination of human intestinal parasites and urbanization at the 18th century Fortress of Louisbourg. Bioarchaeology of Urbanization: The Biological, Demographic, and Social Consequences of Living in Cities. Betsinger T, DeWitte S, editors. New York: Springer Press, pp. 295-316.

Scott A, Taurozzi A, Hughes N, Dangvard Pedersen, Kontopoulos I, Mackie M, Collins M. 2020. Comparing biological and pathological factors affecting osteocalcin concentrations in archaeological skeletal remains. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. 34A(102573):1-16. DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102573.

Scott A, Betsinger T, Tsaliki A, editors. 2020. Deconstructing “deviant”: A conceptual and theoretical approach to atypical burials in the bioarchaeological record. The Odd, the Unusual, and the Strange: A Bioarchaeological Exploration of Atypical Burials. Betsinger T, Scott A, Tsaliki A, editors. Gainesville: University of Florida Press, pp. 1-17.

Betsinger T, Scott A. 2020. Does health define deviancy? Non-normative burials in post-medieval Poland. The Odd, the Unusual, and the Strange: A Bioarchaeological Exploration of Atypical Burials. Betsinger T, Scott A, Tsaliki A, editors. Gainesville: University of Florida Press, pp. 276-291.

Scott A, Fonzo M. 2019. Variation in soil pH at the18th century Rochefort Point cemetery and its relationship to mortuary practices and previous site use. Canadian Journal of Archaeology 43(2):201-216.

Scott A, Hoppa R. 2018. The Ice Age with little effect? Exploring stress in the Danish Black Friars cemetery before and after the turn of the 14th century. International Journal of Paleopathology 26:157-163. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2018.12.004.

Scott A, Morgan J, MacInnes S, Fonzo M, Hinton J. 2018. “Whare ye ennemy used to bury there dead”: A New Englander burial at the 18th century Fortress of Louisbourg in Atlantic Canada. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 29:91-100. DOI: 10.1002/oa.2719.

Scott A, Ebert D, Fonzo M, Hinton J, Georg RB. 2018. Burying the Karrer: A case study exploration of the mercenary regiment at the 18th century Fortress of Louisbourg, NS. Bioarchaeology International 2(3):196-205. DOI: 10.5744/bi.2018.1017.

Scott A, Hoppa R. 2018. The subtleties of stress: A comparative analysis of skeletal lesions between the medieval and post-medieval Black Friars cemetery population (13th to 17th centuries). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 28:695-702. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2691.

Han S, Betsinger T, Harle M, Scott A. 2018. Reconceiving the human fetus in reproductive bioethics: Perspectives from cultural anthropology and bioarchaeology. Reproductive Ethics II: New Ideas and Innovations. Campo-Engelstein L, Burcher P, editors. Springer Press, pp. 139-150.

Scott A, Betsinger T. 2018. Excavating identity: Burial context and fetal identity in post-medieval Poland. The Anthropology of the Fetus: Biology, Culture, and Society. Han S, Betsinger T, Scott A, editors. Brooklyn: Berghahn Books, pp. 146-168.

Gregoricka L, Scott A, Betsinger T, Polcyn M. 2017. Deviant burials and social identity in a post-medieval Polish cemetery: an analysis of stable oxygen and carbon isotopes from the ‘vampires’ of Drawsko. American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 163:741-758.

Scott A, Choi KY, Mookherjee N, Hoppa R, Larcombe L. 2016. The biochemical signatures of stress: A preliminary analysis of osteocalcin fluctuations and macroscopic skeletal changes associated with poor health in the Black Friars (13th-17th centuries) population. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 159(4):596-606.

Scott A, Hoppa R. 2015. A re-evaluation of the impact of radiographic orientation on the identification and interpretation of Harris lines. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 156(1):141-147.

Betsinger T, Scott A. 2014. Governing from the grave: Vampire burials and social order in post-medieval Poland. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 24(3):467-476.

Gregoricka L, Betsinger T, Scott A, Polcyn M. 2014. Apotropaic practices and the undead: A biogeochemical assessment of deviant burials in post-medieval Poland. PLoS ONE 9(11):1-24.

Peer-reviewed edited volumes

Betsinger T, Scott A, Tsaliki A, editors. The Odd, the Unusual, and the Strange: Bioarchaeological Explorations of Atypical Burials. Gainesville: University of Florida Press.

Han S, Betsinger T, Scott A, editors. 2018. The Anthropology of the Fetus: Biology, Culture, and Society. Brooklyn: Berghahn Books.

Current and past graduate students

MA Anthropology

Burgess C (present)

Corbett T (present)

Kane K (present)

Kaufman B (present)

Breedon N (2022) Thesis: Grave or gut: exploration into bacterial bioerosion and bone decomposition in an 18th-19th century Atlantic Canadian cemetery.

Garlie M (2022) Thesis: Diet and mobility in 18th century Atlantic Canada: a look at Newfoundland and Nova Scotia (co-supervision with V Grimes, Memorial University).

Forbes M (2021) Thesis: A study of treponemal disease using macroscopic disease assessment and mercury trace element analysis at the 18th century Fortress of Louisbourg, NS, Canada.

Hughes N (2020) Thesis: It’s in the bones: an exploration of human bone protein from the 18th century Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia and its potential applications in bioarchaeological research.

Fonzo M (2019) Thesis: An exploration of archaeological parasites at the 18th century Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia.

Hinton J (2019) Thesis: A radiographic exploration of vitamin D deficiency at the eighteenth-century Fortress of Louisbourg, NS.

M IDST

Brien N (present) Thesis: Make new methods but keep the old: exploring the use of DNA analysis to study stress in past populations (Anthropology/Biology)

PhD IDST

Hughes N (present) Thesis (Anthropology/Biology)