Big Hole, Original Kimberley Mine

Object Details

Place: Africa; DeBeers Diamond Mines; South Africa; Kimberley (South Africa)

See more items in: Constance Stuart Larrabee Collection; Constance Stuart Larrabee Collection / Series 1: Photographs / Photographs / Kimberley Diamond Mines, Kimberley, South Africa

Sponsor: The cataloging of the Constance Stuart Larrabee Collection was supported by a grant from The Smithsonian Women's Committee.

Extent: 1 Negatives (photographic) ((silver gelatin)., b&w, 6 x 6 cm.); 1 Photographic print ((contact print)., b&w, 6 x 6 cm.); 1 Photographic print ((dupe print)., b&w, 8 x 10 in.)

Archival Repository: Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art

Collection Citation: Constance Stuart Larrabee Collection, EEPA 1998-006, Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Collection Rights: Permission to reproduce images from the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives must be obtained in advance. The collection is subject to all copyright laws.

Scope and Contents: Big Hole, Original Kimberley Mine, 1948. Photographic image of a large and deep hole in the ground which is surrounded by steep hills and trees. This is known as the "Big Hole" which is all that remains of the original Kimberley Mines. It is the largest man-made hole in the world during that period. The hole is more than 1,200 feet deep, the circumference is almost a mile, and the area is 38 acres. During the Boer War, women and children used to take refuge in the tunnels of this extinct mine. Photograph by Constance Stuart Larrabee, 1948.; There are no prints of this negative in the Constance Stuart Larrabee Collection. EEPA produced an 8x10 study print for reference purposes.

Collection Restrictions: Use of original records requires an appointment. Contact Archives staff for more details.