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- Title
CHINESE INDENTURED LABOUR ON THE WITWATERSRAND MINES, SOUTH AFRICA (AD 1904-1910): A BIOARCHAEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SKELETAL REMAINS OF 36 CHINESE MINERS.
- Authors
MEYER, ANJA; STEYN, MARYNA; MORRIS, ALAN G.
- Abstract
The physical anthropological analysis of human skeletal remains provides a unique and informative way of understanding aspects of daily life and may even be used to make inferences about people's social history. In this paper, results will be discussed regarding the health and diet of 36 Chinese indentured mine labourers who worked and died on the Witwatersrand mines during the period AD 1904-1910. The remains o fall 36 individuals were analysed using standard physical anthropological techniques. Specific attention was given to the diagnosis and interpretation of skeletal pathology. Historical information suggests that these indentured Chinese labourers came from poverty stricken communities in China where disease and malnutrition were often encountered. Once in South Africa they were again subjected to the harsh living and working conditions associated with mining. Analyses suggest that all 36 individuals were males between the ages of 15 and 45 years, with the majority being of young adult age. Observed trauma included a high prevalence of perimortem fractures especially of the long bones, whereas other pathologies were mainly attributed to metabolic bone diseases. Most of the pathological lesions suggested a long period of malnutrition and illness throughout childhood continuing into adulthood. Nevertheless, a large proportion of lesions associated with malnutrition showed some degree of healing. It therefore seems that even though the high prevalence of perimortem fractures attests to the hazardous working conditions on the mines, the healing of pathological lesions associated with malnutrition indicates a relative improvement in overall nutrition during the time the miners were employed in South Africa.
- Subjects
WITWATERSRAND (South Africa); SOUTH Africa; ARCHAEOLOGICAL human remains; CHINESE people; MINERS; INDENTURED servants; GOLD mining
- Publication
Goodwin Series, 2013, Vol 11, p39
- ISSN
0304-3460
- Publication type
Article