Following on from last week’s blog, today’s post takes a look at how we date ceramic artefacts, specifically the plates, cups, bowls and saucers we find so often in Christchurch. Many of the issues I mentioned last week with regard … Continue reading →
Hello loyal blog readers, welcome back to another year of posts on the history and archaeology of 19th century Christchurch. I thought we’d start the year off by looking back at one of our more interesting finds from the very … Continue reading →
Toilet, loo, lavatory, water closet, restroom, bathroom – no matter what you call it, they all refer to the same thing: the porcelain throne on which we spend an average of three hours and nine minutes a week. The flushing … Continue reading →
When Edward Gibbon Wakefield developed his theory of colonisation in c.1827 (while imprisoned for abducting a young woman) he envisioned for New Zealand the formation of an idealised English rural society, in which all hard-working labourers could aspire to rural … Continue reading →
Mountains cannot be surmounted except by winding paths. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe The Port Hills may not be mountains as such, but they formed a formidable barrier for the first European Settlers. Of course, Māori had a number of well-established … Continue reading →
This is the third end of year blog post that I (Clara) have written, and just as I started writing it one of our interns dropped her lunch all over the floor as she was putting it in the microwave: … Continue reading →
  Of all the house sections in all the world, ‘The Smiths’ had to walk into mine. Between 1897 and 1899, that is… Today on the blog I’ll refrain from making jokes about ‘Brangelina’ and the 2004 movie that shares … Continue reading →
As a researcher for Underground Overground Archaeology, I spend my time searching written and visual sources for historical information on the sites the archaeologists are working on. The newspapers available on Papers Past are some of the best sources for rediscovering … Continue reading &...
Presenting a selection of the aerated (or soda, if you prefer) water bottles that have surfaced so far on Christchurch archaeological sites. Brace yourselves: there may be water puns (although, honestly, most of the ones we could think of were simply too … Continue reading →
John Bent leaned over and grabbed the goose. There was a whole flock of them in the street—surely one wouldn’t be missed? It was 11pm, and he had been drinking heavily all night. In his muddled state it seemed like … Continue reading →
The first feeling that strikes everyone on coming to New Zealand is its intense want of animal life. Mountains, plains, rivers, – mere features without a soul; for you can hardly dignify the miserable ground lark, the wailing weka, or … Continue reading →
A pdf copy of an account of the earthquakes written in diary form by Nicolas Warren. Note that two images have been redacted from the document because of copyright issues.
“The degree of civilisation in a society can be judged by entering its prisons” – Fyodor Dostoevsky One of the challenges faced by any new colony is what to do with the non-conformists, renegades, and criminals. The ideal, of course, … Continue reading →
Did you ever wonder where the concept of locking things up came from? The reality of human nature seems to be that ever since people have owned things that are deemed valuable, they need to be protected from theft. Not … Continue reading →
Poster inviting potential participants to contact researchers engaged in the Young Women's Experiences of COVID-19 research project.
Young women's experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic - Information sheet.
Interview questions.
A PDF transcript of an interview with Olivia (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Making the most of now: Young women's experiences of COVID-19 - PowerPoint Presentation.
A PDF transcript of an interview with Annie (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A PDF transcript of an interview with Raewyn (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A PDF transcript of an interview with Sara (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A PDF transcript of and interview with Nina (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A PDF transcript of an interview with El about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A PDF transcript of an interview with Kelsey (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A PDF transcript of an interview with Cheryl (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A PDF transcript of an interview with Clare (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A PDF transcript of an interview with Daisy (pseudonym) about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Consent Form 2: Publication and Storage
A PDF transcript of an interview with Asayal about her experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.