Backland activities in medieval Perth: excavations at Meal Vennel and Scott Street

Abstract

Two excavations within the medieval burgh provided the opportunity to investigate an early industrial zone on the western side of Meal Vennel and a relatively rich undeveloped area in the backlands of Scott Street. The artefact rich Meal Vennel excavation revealed evidence of a possible early western boundary of the town, timber and stone buildings and industrial activities including grain drying and iron smithing. Backland activities including sand quarrying, the digging of rubbish pits and dumping of midden, were investigated at Scott Street. A number of questions relating to the medieval development of Perth were addressed. `Excavations at Meal Vennel' by Richard Sermon & Adrian Cox (736--51), including: `The pottery' by Peter Cheer (753--9); a gold and sapphire ring and the copper alloy objects including dress fasteners/fittings and keys, a mount and fittings, needles, padlock components, pendants, pins, rivets, seal matrix, sheets and strips, thimbles and tweezers; lead alloy objects; iron objects including arrowheads, buckles, horse equipment, household ironwork, and knives are detailed along with a `Metallurgy of the knives' by Paul Harrison (776--7), locks and keys, structural ironwork, and tools; stone objects; bone and antler objects including perforated bones and horn cores, horn-working evidence, pins, antler offcuts; the glass including a bead, linen smoother(?) and window glass; `Coins and a jetton' by Nicholas Holmes (789--90); `The flint' by Jill Harden (790 & 791); ceramic roof tiles; industrial residues; `The leather' by Clare Thomas (792); `The animal bone' by Catherine Smith (792--4); and `Botanical remains' by Alan Fairweather (795). `Excavations at Scott Street' by Jonathan Burrows (795--801) is followed by the specialist reports from that site including: `The pottery' by Peter Cheer (801--4); copper alloy objects; lead alloy objects; iron objects; stone objects; the wooden cask; `Textiles' by Thea Gabra-Sanders (810--11); ceramic floor tiles; glass; clay pipes; `Coins' by Nicholas Holmes (812); `Mammal and bird bone' by Catherine Smith (812--13); `Botanical remains' by Alan Fairweather (813--14).