The Risky Business of Exporting Beer in the 19th century.

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

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 →

From bottle to basement: uncovering a repository of information

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Late in 2014 we were contacted by contractors working on a rebuild project in Christchurch’s city centre. It was reported that a number of bottles had been uncovered during routine earthworks and the area cordoned off until our arrival. The bottles … Continue reading →

In which bottles are used, beer is drunk, and graphic design atrocities ar…

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Over the past two blog posts we’ve been looking at a large assemblage of labelled bottles found under a house in Akaroa. Today on the blog we’re going to take a step back and look at how the bottles travelled … Continue reading →

Ruth Gardner's Blog 03/06/2014: Bottled Bulletins

Articles, UC QuakeStudies

An entry from Ruth Gardner's Blog for 03 June 2014 entitled, "Bottled Bulletins".

A message in a bottle

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Look! Kirsa found a message in a bottle under a house. Here’s how we got the message out.       Katharine Watson          

An Ancient Bottle Found Amongst the Debris of the Ozone

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A dusty bottle sits on top of a partially demolished wall. The photographer comments, "The Ozone used to be a popular bar in its day and somehow this bottle must have literally fallen through the cracks.

Getting Inked.

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

The pen is mightier than the sword – and before the days of ball-points, one needed ink bottles to fire up their weapon of choice – that being the quill, the dip pen or the fountain pen. Ink bottles are … Continue reading →

50 year old message in a bottle found in Chch

Audio, Radio New Zealand

A message in a bottle, hidden under the floor of a Christchurch home for over fifty years, has been discovered during earthquake repairs and its writer's been tracked down.

Tales of a house

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

So, that message in a bottle? Well, it turns out it wasn’t the only interesting thing about the site it came from. A fellmongery, German Danes, shoes… read on! First up, the bottle came from under a house built in … Continue reading →

Photograph by Eroica Ritchie 109

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Broken bottles and packages fallen on the floor of Piko Wholefoods.

Photograph by Eroica Ritchie 093

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Fallen cans, jars and bottles on the floor of Piko Wholefoods.

Christchurch Press Infographic: 13 October 2011

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A page banner promoting an article titled, "Message in a bottle".

Photograph by Eroica Ritchie 006

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Broken jars and bottles fallen from the shelves of a shop.

Photograph by Eroica Ritchie 092

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Staff members picking up fallen jars and bottles from Piko Wholefoods.

Photograph by Eroica Ritchie 064

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Jars and bottles fallen from a shelf and trapped between the wall.

Photograph number UC 10-0503-08

Images, UC QuakeStudies

A wine bottle still standing in a damaged office in the Registry Building.

Nisbet, Alistair, 1958- :Bottle Lake waste-dump recreation area?... 27 Nov…

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Several people run, leap, cycle and walk the dog through an area piled high with waste material. Context: Bottle Lake Forest Park has tracks and trails which include mountain-bike tracks, horse-trekking trails and walking tracks. After being established as a temporary dump after the February 22 earthquake the government intend to use special powers to turn part of Bottle Lake Forest Park into a permanent dump. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

WATER... One minute too much... The next, not enough... 8 September 2010

Images, Alexander Turnbull Library

Text reads 'Water - One minute too much - The next, not enough' In the first frame a man is fed up with another downpour and in the second frame there is shown a plastic bottle of drinking water. Refers to the amount of rain in recent times but also the need for bottled or boiled water In Canterbury after the earthquake of 4th September 2010 which caused major damage to sewage and water systems. Quantity: 1 digital cartoon(s).

Christchurch Press Image: John Kirk-Anderson, 2011:02:23 13:21:05

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Charlotte Manning and David Robertson fill water bottles at a bore on Cranford Street".

Fairfax Video, September 2010 (23)

Videos, UC QuakeStudies

A video of a tour of Lion Nathan's Canterbury Brewery, where employees are cleaning up after the 4 September 2010 earthquake. The video shows footage of Lion Nathan employees clearing away pallets of broken bottles and mopping up spilt beer. It also includes an interview with Neil Hinton, Lion Nathan Corporate Affairs Director, about the beer which has been sent down from Auckland, and the help they are giving to the City Mission.

Christchurch residents concerned about impact of asbestos

Audio, Radio New Zealand

The Christchurch city council is reconsidering its plan to dump five thousand tonnes of asbestos contaminated rubble in Bottle Lake Forest Park landfill which has been reopened to take earthquake debris.

The Timaru Herald Image: Natasha Martin 2011:02:25 13:50:45

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch Earthquake 22 February 2011. People flocking to Liquor King on Stanmore Road where they were selling beer for $1 per bottle."

Gin, Cognac and Pencils

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Last time on the blog we looked specifically at the beer bottle labels from our Akaroa site. Today’s blog post is essentially a part two, where we’re going to take a look at the other labels found on the site. … Continue reading →

Water, water, everywhere!

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Presenting a selection of the aerated (or soda, if you prefer) water bottles that have surfaced so far on Christchurch archaeological sites. Brace yourselves: there may be water puns (although, honestly, most of the ones we could think of were simply too … Continue reading →

‘Is your breathing embarrassed?’

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Many of you will probably have heard of Baxter’s Lung Preserver, a local Christchurch product created in the 19th century and still sold today. Bottles of Baxter’s, with the name of the product embossed on the sides, are common finds … Continue reading →

Christchurch Press Image: Kirk Hargreaves 2010:09:05 16:40:24

Images, UC QuakeStudies

Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Christchurch Earthquake aftermath. Day after the earthquake that rocked in Christchurch, Mana Tamaiparea filling water bottles at a Civil Defence centre in Kaiapoi North School".

Medicating the masses: a wholesale druggist in Edwardian Christchurch.

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

In our last post, Jeremy talked about the site of H. F. Stevens, wholesale druggist, on Worcester Street near Cathedral Square. We excavated the site in 2011 and found a number of artefacts, including the Udolpho Wolfe’s bottles featured last … Continue reading →

Artefact stories: 19th century chemists and other subjects…

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Today’s blog was inspired by three pharmaceutical bottles that aroused my curiosity and gave me the perfect excuse to talk about a few 19th century chemists in Christchurch… I came across the first small glass fragment in an assemblage from … Continue reading →

Classic! A look at transfer patterns inspired by the ancient world

Articles, Christchurch uncovered

Ceramic artefacts are some of the most common finds recovered from 19th century Christchurch archaeological sites. Teacups, saucers, plates, dishes, bottles, jars, jugs, chamber pots, wash basins…heaps of objects related to food and drink preparation, consumption and storage as well … Conti...

20110307_2009_1D3-85 Liquefaction silt pile [EQNZ]

Images, eqnz.chch.2010

This is a temporary pile of silt piled on the old Bexley landfill sight. Some trucks are addng to the pile, while other truck and trailer units are taking it away to the old Bottle Lake landfill sight, a few km to the north of here.