Seeking their fortunes on the Otago goldfields, New Zealand – Constructing isotopic biographies of colonial goldminers

King, Charlotte L.; Buckley, Hallie R.; Petchey, Peter; Kinaston, Rebecca; Millard, Andrew R.; Nowell, Geoff; Roberts, Patrick; Ilgner, Jana; Gröcke, Darren R.

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2023.105836

Cited by 1 publication

(3 citation statements)

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“…The cessation of breastfeeding has also been associated with an increased risk of infection, disease, and malnutrition if undertaken during adverse environmental conditions (Foote & Marriott, 2003;Katzenberg et al, 1996;Morgan et al, 2004). Recent isotopic analysis by King et al (2023) has demonstrated that individuals G3, G7, and G25 were weaned relatively late (i.e., not until 4 or 5 years of age), and this is consistent with ethnographic evidence for delayed weaning at this time in China to benefit infant health and delay fertility (Wolf & Engelen, 2007). In addition, the only European individual from AS found to exhibit a similar isotopic signature of late weaning was A1 (King et al, 2023), an individual that exhibited almost twice as many ALs in the first year of life when compared to all adults from SJM and AS.…”

Section: Prenatal Als Maternal Stress and Implications Of Dohadmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent isotopic analysis by King et al (2023) has demonstrated that individuals G3, G7, and G25 were weaned relatively late (i.e., not until 4 or 5 years of age), and this is consistent with ethnographic evidence for delayed weaning at this time in China to benefit infant health and delay fertility (Wolf & Engelen, 2007). In addition, the only European individual from AS found to exhibit a similar isotopic signature of late weaning was A1 (King et al, 2023), an individual that exhibited almost twice as many ALs in the first year of life when compared to all adults from SJM and AS. This may suggest a change in maternal behavior to delay weaning to benefit nutrition of the infant at a period of time that early weaning (i.e., initiating at 6 months of age) was fashionable (Clayton & Rowbotham, 2009;Crawford, 2010;Foote & Marriott, 2003;Wickes, 1953).…”

Section: Prenatal Als Maternal Stress and Implications Of Dohadmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Modern historians have proposed that the early immigrant populace of New Zealand experienced better health and longer lifespans than their contemporaries back home (Inwood & Maxwell‐Stewart, 2015; Woodward & Blakely, 2014). This assumption has only recently been critically examined from a bioarcheological perspective (Buckley et al, 2020; King et al, 2022; King, Buckley, et al, 2020, 2021; King, Petchey, et al, 2020, 2021; Petchey, Buckley, Hil, et al, 2018; Petchey, Buckley, & Scott, 2018; Snoddy et al, 2020, 2021), with the Southern Cemeteries Research Project, a joint endeavor between the University of Otago and Southern Archaeology Ltd. Bioarcheological and paleopathological investigations of individuals from the sampled cemetery assemblage indicate that the colonial experience of health is more nuanced than suggested by the historical narrative, with evidence for traumatic injuries (Buckley et al, 2020; Petchey & Buckley, 2022), infectious diseases (Snoddy et al, 2020), high infant mortality (Buckley et al, 2020), and dietary stress (King et al, 2023; King, Buckley, et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Nostalgia for the old country—A histological exploration of early childhood physiological stress experiences in colonial Otago, New Zealand

Kavale‐Henderson,

Buckley,

King

et al. 2024

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Many mid‐19th‐century immigrants to New Zealand are presumed to have been in pursuit of a “better life” than was achievable in their origin countries. Here, we utilize histological analyses of internal indicators of enamel growth disruption (accentuated lines [ALs]) in 19 European and Chinese immigrants and five colony‐born children from three 19th‐century Otago sites. Observations of regular enamel microstructure were used to estimate a chronology of periods of enamel growth disruption. Clear or potential ALs were present in 18/19 (95%) adults and 4/5 (80%) subadults. Mean occurrence of ALs was higher in Chinese individuals than in European individuals between birth and 1 year of age (Chinese mean = 11; European mean = 3.8) and between 3 and 5 years of age (Chinese mean = 12.7; European mean = 1.3). Potential prenatal ALs were observed in three colony‐born children. Although similar stressors such as malnutrition and infectious disease would have been present in both Europe and China, their expression in these individuals may reflect the embodiment of different push factors that stimulated emigration to New World colonies such as New Zealand. The presence of ALs in colony‐born children indicates some continuation of developmental stressors in New Zealand. The results presented here highlight the value of utilizing microscopic analyses on poorly preserved archeological samples that are frequently excluded from histological examination. This preliminary glimpse into enamel formation disruption challenges the ubiquitous 19th‐century narrative of New Zealand as free from the hardships of industrial revolution era Europe and sheds light on the stresses of childhoods spent in rural China and the potential attractions of the Pacific goldfields in comparison. Future work with larger sample sizes will contribute to a critical exploration of experiences of childhood physiological stress in those who lived and died in colonial New Zealand.

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