Early Historic settlement beneath the Grassmarket in Edinburgh

Abstract

Archaeologically monitored excavations in the Grassmarket, Edinburgh uncovered diverse remains dating from prehistory to the First World War. The stratigraphic sequence included Middle Bronze Age pits, pre-12th century features and deposits, a series of medieval surfaces, a section of the Flodden Wall and post-medieval building foundations. The pre-12th century features provide rare evidence for understanding Edinburgh's development and are the focus of this article. Assessments of archaeological potential in Scottish medieval towns in general, is also discussed.