Colonial Urbanism: A Comparative Exploration of Skeletal Stress in Two Eighteenth Century North American French Colonies

An Army Marches on Its Stomach: Comparing Military Provisioning across North American Sixteenth- to Nineteenth-Century Forts

“…Fortifications placed in urban centers with fishing fleets—including the British Fort Royal and Signal Hill in Newfoundland, the British/Colonial Charleston Powder Magazine, and the French Fortress of Louisbourg—relied heavily on fish. The Fortress of Louisbourg, an urban center and capital of the French colony Île Royale, suffered repeated provisioning shortages (Johnston 2001), reflected in human skeletal remains from the site (Fonzo et al 2020; Scott et al 2020). The administration at Louisbourg sought to overcome these shortages by reserving the offcuts of cod caught by the fishing fleet for soldiers (Dunton and Johnston 1986; Johnston 2011) and through trade for supplies (Welker and Quintana Morales 2022).…”

“…Spruce beer and gardens provided fresh greens and prevented scurvy (Coe 2006;Kopperman 2007). Despite these coping strategies, many garrisons experienced shortfalls (Johnston 2001;Parker 1970), and archaeological evidence reveals evidence for malnutrition and disease (Fonzo et al 2020;Scott et al 2020). Soldiers living under these unreliable conditions adapted as best they could, but their choices were frequently circumscribed by supply networks and fort function.…”

Toward a bioarchaeology of urbanization: Demography, health, and behavior in cities in the past

“…Studies of urban settlements using a range of skeletal data have also been employed to examine the range of variation in lived experiences for inhabitants (e.g., Bourbou, 2018;Kjellström, 2020;Lewis, 2011;Scott et al, 2020). Watkins (2012) infectious disease, osteoarthritis, and traumatic injuries in a late medieval (12th-15th centuries CE) population in Croatia.…”

“…Studies of urban settlements using a range of skeletal data have also been employed to examine the range of variation in lived experiences for inhabitants (e.g., Bourbou, 2018; Kjellström, 2020; Lewis, 2011; Scott et al, 2020). Watkins (2012) examines the effects of poverty on degenerative joint disease, trauma, and cause of death in a study of almshouse residents and the general African American population in 19th–20th century Washington, DC, finding that both populations suffered negative biological consequences of impoverishment and inequality, though the nature of those consequences varied.…”

“…Watkins (2012) examines the effects of poverty on degenerative joint disease, trauma, and cause of death in a study of almshouse residents and the general African American population in 19th–20th century Washington, DC, finding that both populations suffered negative biological consequences of impoverishment and inequality, though the nature of those consequences varied. Scott et al (2020) examine two 18th century CE French urbanized colonies in North America, comparing stress indicators, musculoskeletal markers, oral health conditions, and stature, finding minimal differences. Novak et al (2012) consider stress indicators, oral health, infectious disease, osteoarthritis, and traumatic injuries in a late medieval (12th–15th centuries CE) population in Croatia.…”