Hidden foodstuffs found under 19th-century Australian colonial institution Sydney’s Hyde Park Barracks, constructed from 1817 to 1819 as housing for male convicts, subsequently served as one of the key locations for 19th-century Australian immigration. After convict transportation to New South Wales ended, the barracks were used as the Female Immigration Depot between 1848 and 1887 and the Female Destitute Asylum between 1862 and 1886. They provided accommodation as well as maintenance for single migrant women and for others who were unable to maintain themselves because of age, sickness, or disability. Modern official documents depict a gloomy and dull picture of a diet consisting of meat, tea, and bread. However, more recent archaeology gives us a vivid and detailed picture of life in the depots... More information: https://archaeologymag.com/2025/01/hidden-foodstuffs-under-colonial-institution/