Photograph of a diamond mine in Griqualand-West. Ledges of earth at different heights have been cut into the sides of a large pit around a pool of water. There are workmen on a ledge in the foreground, two carrying buckets. Beyond the mine there is a settlement with water behind.

Griqualand-West was a former British colony in southern Africa. The discovery of diamonds in the area led to vast excavation sites and the mass immigration of workers.