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Dr. Shirley Curtis-Summers

Assistant Professor

Area
School of Archaeological & Forensic Sci
Faculty of Life Sciences
E-mail
S.Curtis-Summers@bradford.ac.uk
Phone
+441274238074
Dr. Shirley Curtis-Summers
6 research projects
7 publications

Biography

Specialist in human osteology, palaeopathology and stable isotope analysis. Research interests include:

  • Late Iron Age to Late Medieval archaeology
  • Pictish and medieval lifeways in Scotland
  • Medieval lifeways in Britain and Ireland
  • Childhood health
  • Social responses to infectious disease in medieval Britain
  • Mortuary archaeology
  • Reconstructing diet, health, disease and trauma in Britain and Europe
  • Religious and socio-economic influences on past lives
I welcome enquiries on potential collaborations on these topics.  

Currently, Dr Shirley Curtis-Summers is supervisor to the following Postgraduate Researcher:

· Isobel Grimley, e-mail: i.j.grimley@bradford.ac.uk. Thesis title: Assessing Frailty in Medieval Children, Adolescents and Young Adults from England and the Isle of Man.

Research

  • Human and animal dietary reconstructions using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis
  • Identification and interpretations of disease and trauma through human skeletal analysis
  • Funerary archaeology and the interpretation of status from the burial environment
  • Archaeology of medieval communities: the relationships between ecclesiastics and the laity
  • The impact of medieval life (diet, labour, violence) on the body
  • Reconstructing aspect of health, disease, impairment (or disability) and social perceptions in medieval Britain.

Currently, Dr Shirley Curtis-Summers is supervisor to the following Postgraduate Researcher:

· Isobel Grimley, e-mail: i.j.grimley@bradford.ac.uk. Thesis title: Assessing Frailty in Medieval Children, Adolescents and Young Adults from England and the Isle of Man.

Research projects

Teaching

  • Human osteology and palaeopathology
  • Human musculoskeletal and virtual anatomy
  • Stable isotopes and diet
  • Reconstructing medieval lifeways
  • Health, disease and trauma in past populations

Professional activities

  • Whithorn Trust (Dumfries and Galloway) - Consultancy (human osteology and public engagement) (5 February 2018)
  • FAS Heritage (York) - Consultancy (human osteoarchaeology) (1 August 2011)
  • Manx National Heritage (Isle of Man) - Consultancy (human osteology) (2 February 2011)
  • Big Heritage (Chester) - Consultancy (human osteology and public engagement) (1 May 2010)

  • University of Liverpool - BSc (Hons) Archaeological Science
  • University of Bradford - MSc Human Osteology & Palaeopathology
  • University of Liverpool - PhD

  • University of Bradford - Lecturer (5 February 2018)
  • University of Liverpool School of Life Sciences - Educational Developer (3 April 2017)
  • University of Liverpool - Stable Isotope Technician (8 February 2016)
  • University of Liverpool - University tutor (13 October 2013)
  • Big Heritage - Consultant bioarchaeologist (8 May 2013)

  • Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CiFA) , Affiliate
  • Liverpool Medical Institution, Affiliate
  • British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology , member
  • Society for Medieval Archaeology, member
  • Higher Education Academy (HEA), Associate

Publications

  • Digest of Evidence 9, The Human Bone

    Clark, J., Garner-Lahire, J., Spall, C. and Toop, N. (2021) Lincoln Castle Revealed, The story of a Norman powerhouse and its Anglo-Saxon precursor . Oxbow.

  • Inventory of Burial Data

    King, S., and Curtis-Summers, S. (2016) Changing Ideologies in North-east Scotland, Sixth to Sixteenth Century AD. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.

  • Stable Isotopes of Carbon and Nitrogen and Diet

    Carver, M.O.H., Garner-Lahire, J., Spall, C. Garn (2016) Portmahomack on Tarbat Ness: Changing Ideologies in North-east Scotland, Sixth to Sixteenth Century AD. Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.