Living and dying on the edge of the Empire: a bioarchaeological examination of Otago's early European settlers

Hallie Ruth Buckley ¹, Phillip Roberts ², Rebecca Kinaston ¹

⁰Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand +

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October 23, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Early European settlers in New Zealand faced strenuous lives with high infant mortality and risks of injury. Despite promises of a better life, their colonial experience mirrored the hardships of their homeland.

Area Of Science

Paleopathology
Historical Epidemiology
Bioarchaeology

Background

19th-century New Zealand promoted as a land of opportunity to encourage European settlement.
Early colonists' lives and health are crucial for understanding colonial history.

Purpose Of The Study

Characterize the life-course and health of early European settlers in New Zealand.
Analyze the St. John's burial ground population in Milton, Otago.

Main Methods

Historical epidemiological analysis of death certificates.
Osteological analysis of skeletal remains.
Construction of osteobiographies for adult individuals.

Main Results

High infant mortality rates observed in the skeletal sample.
Evidence of strenuous manual labor, repeated injuries, and infections (oral and skeletal).
Skeletal indicators of childhood stress and pre-migration injury risks.
Occupational risks in the colony were comparable to those in the homeland.
Colonial society largely replicated the biosocial conditions of the origin country.

Conclusions

Early European settlers in New Zealand experienced significant health challenges, including high infant mortality and physical stress.
The colonial environment did not necessarily offer a 'better life' in terms of health and safety for the working class.
The study highlights the resilience and hardships faced by the first European colonists in Aotearoa.

Keywords:

Bioarchaeology Otago colonial life-course osteobiography