Identifying nineteenth century Trans-Pacific production and trade: A geochemical and stylistic study of Chinese opium pipe bowls from southern New Zealand. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Peihua; Walter, Richard; Gaffney, Dylan; Gong, Yuxuan; Palin, Mike; Reid, Malcolm
• Is Part Of: Journal of archaeological science. Volume 31(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Ceramic characterisation -- EDXRF -- LA-ICP-MS -- Chinese opium bowl -- Production and trade -- Overseas Chinese archaeology -- New Zealand; Archaeology -- Periodicals; Archaeology -- Research -- Periodicals; 930.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102362
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2352-409X

Abstract

Highlights: Analysis of 19 th century Chinese opium pipe bowls shows many workshops used a single clay source. Opium bowl workshops linked into 19 th century Trans-Pacific trade networks. Opium pipe bowls have regionally specific attributes, plus individual workshop markings. Abstract: This paper reports on aspects of the production and trade of nineteenth century Chinese opium pipe bowls based on an examination of an assemblage from a Chinese goldfields settlement in New Zealand. Using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) we characterised the clay sources used for pipe production. Comparing those results with a stylistic analysis of the pipe bowls we developed a model for the production of opium pipe bowls and their distribution to nineteenth century Chinese diaspora communities. This is the first study to investigate Chinese opium pipe bowls using a combination of geochemical and stylistic analysis and is a novel application of archaeological science methodologies in Overseas Chinese Archaeology. The work reveals information about a group of potters and their production structures in Southern China and their trading connections in the Trans-Pacific region that had previously been historically and archaeologically opaque.