Chinese Indentured Mine Labour and the Dangers Associated with Early 20th Century Deep‐level Mining on the Witwatersrand Gold Mines, South Africa

Abstract

Trauma analysis in archaeological human remains can aid our understanding of cultural practices, socio-economic status, environmental and social conditions, and even aspects of a person's occupation. For this reason, fracture patterns and frequencies can be useful in making inferences about the environment people lived and worked in. This is especially true for the 20th century mining industry where unskilled migrant labourers were often subjected to harsh working and living conditions. In this study, the skeletal remains of 36 Chinese indentured mine labourers, who worked and died on the Witwatersrand mines, South Africa, during the period ad 1904-1910, were assessed for evidence of trauma. Historical information suggests that these indentured Chinese labourers were unfamiliar with the workings of deep-level mines and as a result sustained many work-related injuries. Analyses suggest low frequencies of ante-mortem trauma. In the few instances where they occurred, these healed fractures most probably reflect injuries already sustained in China, some time before Chinese indentured employment on the Witwatersrand mines. A high frequency of traumatic lesions, specifically perimortem fractures, however, suggests a drastic shift in their working environment attesting to the hazardous working conditions associated with deep-level mining in the early 20th century.

Comparison of two adopted face perpendicular preconditioning techniques

“…The basin hosts narrow and tabular reef deposits, which have been extensively mined for the past 100 years at shallow depths, using conventional mining techniques (Toper et al. 1999; Toper 2003). Currently, mining has progressed towards ultra-deep levels with the use of mechanized and conventional mining techniques.…”

A rare case of multilevel spondylolysis—A nineteenth century Chinese immigrant to Peru from Castillo de Huarmey archaeological site

“…There is a report on the Chinese workers who were brought to work in the underground South African gold mines as unskilled contract workers, in the conditions similar in a way to those from Peru. Two individuals showed spondylolysis of L5, also resulting most probably from intensive and strenuous labour (Meyer & Steyn, 2015). It has to be remembered, however, that due to the specific, archaeological character of this find, the hereditary nature of spondylolysis cannot be completely ruled out.…”

“…or hyperextension as the main cause of spondylolysis (Peng, 2016). It has been observed in athletes (Hanke et al, 2018;Koerner & Radcliff, 2013), football players (Semon & Spengler, 1981) and physical education students (Park et al, 2009), military (Celtikci et al, 2018;Dunn et al, 2009), mine workers (Meyer & Steyn, 2015) but also among the individuals without such life history.…”

Yeni̇ Köleli̇k Si̇stemi̇: Sözleşmeli̇ Ucuz İşçi̇ Si̇stemi̇

“…Ayrıca Çinli işçiler amirlerinden yazılı izin almadan maden sahası dışına da çıkamazlardı. 35 Güney Afrika´nın Natal eyaletinde yaşayan Hintli işçiler de Çinlilerde olduğu gibi yakınlarını veya arkadaşlarını ziyaret etmek istediklerinde toprak sahiplerinden yazılı izin almak zorundaydılar. 36 Maden de çalışacak Çinli işçiler sadece vasıfsız diye tabir edilen, mesleği olmayan işçiler olabilirdi.…”