| Abstract: |
Report of excavations conducted within the scheduled area in the grounds of the Inveresk Gate estate, in advance of development. The results of earlier excavations were confirmed and refined, although the dating of the Roman occupation remains enigmatic. Although largely Antonine in character, some artefactual evidence pointed to the site having been occupied after the Antonine Wall had been abandoned. The first phase consisted of military defences concentric with the castra, the remains of which lie largely beneath St Michael's churchyard. These comprised lengths of ditch accompanied by a rampart formed from a mixture of techniques. The second phase included a road running from east to west across the site and the beginnings of a midden alongside it, in which were found military items. The third phase marked the appearance of the first phase of civil settlement including timber strip buildings. Evidence was found for the destruction of this phase by burning. The fourth phase also included the construction of timber strip buildings on the same plots, but using a different building technique, characteristic of Antonine military architecture in Scotland. Evidence indicates that this phase was also destroyed by burning. The fifth phase consisted of structures again built on the same plots, but using stone. The final two phases cover a few medieval features followed by post-medieval horticultural use and landscaping. The report includes environmental evidence from plant remains, pollen, carbonised wood, animal bone including fish and birds, marine shells, insect remains, and soil analysis. Artefactual evidence includes pottery, coinage and other small finds, stone, leather, glass, slag, building materials and a barrel used to line a well (from which some of the environmental evidence was taken) which contained several wooden objects. A chapter discusses the evidence in relation to the development, chronology and character of the settlement. |
