Bedlam. That’s how most people think of 19th century hospitals for the mentally unwell. The phrase ‘lunatic asylums’ – which was how such institutions were known at the time – doesn’t conjure up much better images. But what if the … Continue reading →
With the dawn of a new year (yes, we know it’s already April May June July, no we are not accepting constructive criticism at this time) the Under Over team has hit the ground running. The dream of a leisurely … Continue reading →
**TRIGGER WARNING: This blog talks of infant death and sex work** Time forgives and forgets, dulling the harsh effects of first-hand accounts of shocking life events to a point where one can laugh at unfortunate events, or even become … Continue reading →
A PDF document containing University of Canterbury alumnus Kevin Luxford's written memories of his time at the University in the late 1950s and 1960s.
A PDF document containing University of Canterbury alumnus Kevin Luxford's written memories of his time at the University in the late 1950s and 1960s.
It’s that time of year again. Behold! Some of our favourite discoveries and images from 2015. It’s been an eventful twelve months. Archaeology happened. Sites were surveyed, excavated, photographed, investigated, disseminated and ruminated upon. Clues were followed and mysteries unrav...
This week we are treating you to a photographic tale of the life of a Cantabrian abode. Come with us now on a journey through time and space, to the wonderful world of dilapidated Victorian villas… Despite its grandiose design, Mr. … Continue reading →
It’s that time of year again, the summer season is upon us, and this year has really has brought the heat! With much of the country sweltering in the late 20s and early 30s lately, it’s made us appreciate the … Continue reading →
The steamer run from Wellington to Lyttleton is 175 miles, and the fare £1. As we travelled at night time and in a very fast boat we saw nothing, and in fact, as we got in very early in the morning…
It’s that time of the year again, carols, Christmas shopping, annual staff parties, parades and backyard barbeques. For many of us, Christmas traditions are passed down through our families, and some of the fare found on our festive tables may … Continue reading →
During excavations under the floor of a house in Akaroa, we found a large assemblage of labelled bottles. Labelled bottles are always an exciting find, firstly because they tell us what the bottle held at the time of its disposal, … Continue reading →
Today I’m going to tell you about what is possibly my all-time favourite archaeological site (there is another contender, but it doesn’t have any connection to Christchurch or Canterbury so is unlikely to feature here). I reckon this site has … Continue reading →
One of our final blog posts of 2016 took a look at the history of Christmas in New Zealand. In the same festive spirit, this week it seems appropriate to explore the tradition of Easter – from the time when … Continue reading →
Once upon a time, there was a baker (a pie-maker, even) who left his home in Germany and travelled the length of the world to a small country in the South Pacific. There, in a young city built on a … Continue reading →
Caption reads: "It used to be lovely. We would go out walking all the time and we always went through the wetlands. There was all the beautiful flax and bushes that were around the track, and now it’s gone. All gone."
As building archaeologists we record and analyse the form, structure and ornamentation of 19th century dwellings to learn about the lives led by past occupants. The Victorian era was a time of invention and achievement. Society was dominated by middle-class morality as they … Continue readi...
Underfloor deposits are as exasperating as they are exciting. Exasperating because the context is not particularly secure: objects usually accumulate under a house over time (thrown or swept from the outside, lost or dropped between the floorboards, dragged in by … Continue reading →
This blog may lean more heavily on the personal than the archaeological. Every year, thousands of Kiwis and Aussies commemorate ANZAC Day. We take this time to reflect on the losses of war, and the terrible costs it has had … Continue reading →
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll be aware that Aotearoa New Zealand is facing a cost-of-living crisis. That weekly visit to the supermarket seems to be getting more expensive each time. Throughout history people have sought ways of … Continue reading →
A photograph captioned, "In the 1930s the traffic in Gayhurst Road was so light that I can remember playing hockey and cricket with apple boxes for wickets. If a car or cart came along there was plenty of time to shift the boxes to let them past".
A PDF copy of a pack of 22 Tiny Adventures cards. Created in partnership with SKIP, Tiny Adventures helped parents to spend quality time with their children by suggesting some simple activities. The cards were available in packs and free to download from www.allright.or.nz/adventures.
A PDF copy of a pack of 23 Tiny Adventures cards. Created in partnership with SKIP, Tiny Adventures helped parents to spend quality time with their children by suggesting some simple activities. The cards were available in packs and free to download from www.allright.or.nz/adventures.
A PDF copy of the map created for AWA Trails. It shows each of the four trails, the location of each of the twenty five spots to discover and the expected time to walk each track. The maps were available to download from the All Right? website.
A PDF copy of a pack of 21 Tiny Adventures cards. Created in partnership with SKIP, Tiny Adventures helped parents to spend quality time with their children by suggesting some simple activities. The cards were available in packs and free to download from www.allright.or.nz/adventures.
A PDF copy of a pack of 21 Tiny Adventures cards. Created in partnership with SKIP, Tiny Adventures helped parents to spend quality time with their children by suggesting some simple activities. The cards were available in packs and free to download from www.allright.or.nz/adventures.
A document outlining the Emergency Management Policy at the University of Canterbury in the time between the 4 September 2010 and 22 February 2011 earthquake. This policy was developed to provide a mandate for decisions that need to be taken to most appropriately and expeditiously respond to a planned event or unforeseen critical incident at the University of Canterbury.
A PDF copy of five Tiny Adventures cards that incorporate Maori culture and language. Created in partnership with SKIP, Tiny Adventures helped parents to spend quality time with their children by suggesting some simple activities. The cards were available in packs and free to download from www.allright.or.nz/adventures.
A PDF copy of a poster from the Let's Talk About Parenting project of the All Right? campaign. The caption reads, 'Petrina, Avonside: "My son loves his kai so meals are a great time to catch up." Real families aren't picture perfect. They're messy, playful and so much better'.
A PDF copy of the front and back of a pack of Tiny Adventures cards. Created in partnership with SKIP, Tiny Adventures helped parents to spend quality time with their children by suggesting some simple activities. The cards were available in packs and free to download from www.allright.or.nz/adventures.
A PDF copy of a poster encouraging people to try something new, one of the Five Ways to Wellbeing. The poster depicts two 'All Righties' harvesting a pumpkin and carrots and reads, "What good things are you growing? Wonderful things happen when we put in a little bit of time".