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transported away from the main area by f1oodwaters, two whole bottles
having been noted in the same vicinity.
Clearly the presence of opium-related artefacts is significant, as is the
presence of Chinese 'cash'. One of the buckles is also interesting. This
item is fashioned from copper or brass sheet, was originally gold-plated,
and has a toothed key. It appears to be intended for use in association with
a fine fabric such as silk or with a ribbon such as might secure a volume or
album.
All five pieces of red earthenware from the site are fragments of brownglazed
food jars, while twelve fragments of fine earthenware and vitreous
stoneware were parts of small bowls and flatware. The red earthenware is
of Chinese origin, and represents at least three food jars or pots. The bowl
fragments are almost certainly of European or American origin. The
presence of bowl fragments is not necessarily diagnostic of a Chinese site,
but in conjunction with other items in the assemblage the evidence
becomes more persuasive.
Glass items from Chinaman's Well include a Chinese medicine vial and a
perfume bottle of European origin, and two pieces of 8mm thick flat glass,
perhaps from a mirror, but more probably from a glass table top or shelf.
The style of vial and the particular brand of perfume has been noted by
Ritchie and others as being associated with Chinese sites in Central
Otago, New Zealand and in the United States (Wegars, 1993:223, Ritchie,
1986: 194, 196). The plate glass at Chinaman's Well appears to be an
unusual component of a Chinese assemblage. The possibility that it
substituted for window glass cannot be entirely discounted, although at
8mm thick it would be exceptional. No other window glass has been found
at Chinaman's Well, and the window glass at Chinaman's Garden Well
(see page 127) ranges from 2mm to 3mm thick. If the flat glass is from a
mirror, Knapp (1990:63 & 73-74) suggests this could represent an antispectral
device or a device to ward off evil in mutually antagonistic
situations.(See also Wegars, 1993:366). If from a shelf it may have been
associated with Taoist ritual. Much more research into the practice of
'fengshui' and Taoist ritual would be required to discuss the possibilities in
detail. A fragment of similar plate glass is included in the assemblage from
Chinaman's Garden Well (see page 127). Other glass fragments were
from various bottles, inclUding the base of a whisky bottle embossed "6 TO
GALLON", Wolfs Schnapps, 'beer', pickle and 'Worcestershire Sauce'types.
In summary, the artefact assemblage at Chinaman's Well is similar to the
assemblages reported from Arrowtown, Central Otago, New Zealand
(Ritchie, 1986), and Warrendale, Oregon (Fagan, in Wegars, 1993). A
majority of the artefacts present are of non-Chinese origin, but inclusion of
opium tins and opium-smoking paraphernalia, Chinese medicine vials, a
preponderance of hollowwares, and 'Ii' or 'cash' in the assemblage can
reasonably be considered evidence of a Chinese presence.