Abstract
The site of the former Japanese Pearlers’bath-house, Thursday Island, has been subjected to redevelopment since its construction sometime between about 1890 and 1910. Archaeological examinations at the site in 1998 revealed an intact bath. The unreinforced concrete bath was decorated with blue on white transfer ceramic tiles. The floral pattern of each suggested a possible Chinese origin. Each tile was concreted in place and surrounded by a ‘grout’ of similar substance. This paper describes the bath and places it in the social context of a period when Japanese pearlers were a major proportion of Thursday Island’s population. ! Pearling, Japanese in Australia, ceramic tile, bath, Thursday Island, Torres Strait.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 379-386 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, Cultural Heritage Series |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 21 Jun 2004 |
| Externally published | Yes |