East Kirk of St Nicholas dig 31st July to 5th August 2006 – Week 27
Judith Stones, Keeper of Archaeology, writes..
Although most of the dig area is now ‘down’ in the 12th to 14th centuries, there are a few places where we’re still higher up, ‘in’ the 16th to 18th centuries. That’s mainly because there are one or two parts of the site that have only become available for excavation recently. You may recall, for example, that the last of the 19th century cast iron pillars which held up the East Kirk gallery were only taken away a few weeks ago, making it possible to dig beneath where they stood. Among coffins in a location used for burial probably by one family in the 16th to 18th centuries we’ve had the first indication this week of an early attempt at dentistry. The jaw you see in the next picture has had some fine gold wire attached, apparently to keep several other (now missing) incisors in place.
The two ‘supporting’ teeth in question are, completely rotten, though, so one can’t help thinking that the individual might have been better off without them. The jaw with the repaired teeth is not from a complete burial, but is one of the many ‘disarticulated’ human remains – those which have been disturbed by numerous subsequent burials, the bones becoming scattered, or re-interred, sometimes with great care, by the later gravediggers.
For some time we’d been puzzled by what appeared to be a mortar surface, originally about 1.20m wide, immediately next to the south wall of the 15th century choir, sloping downwards towards the east end of the church. And we’d also been intrigued by a blocked window at the east end of that same south wall, low down, below the level of the 15th century floor. But last Friday, Dr Richard Fawcett helped us understand what may be going on in that area. The sloping mortar surface is the floor of a corridor, or a flight of very long steps, against the south wall, leading downwards towards the entrance to St Mary’s Chapel - and the window was to light the corridor. In the next photo, you can see the remains of the slope or steps on the south wall, which is to your right.
It’s the bit that sticks out from the wall at the level of Mhairi’s head (she’s wearing the checked shirt) and runs along the wall towards Ross, who’s standing at the far end of the photo, facing you. He has the window immediately to his left, the west wall of St Mary’s Chapel behind him and to his right the 19th century stonework blocking the doorway into the Chapel. The other side of that doorway is still clearly visible in the Chapel itself. And in the following picture, taken several weeks ago when it was first discovered it, is the blocked low-level window which provided daylight to the corridor.
Among interesting objects found this week has been a fragment of a stone mortar, used with a pestle to grind cooking ingredients or medicinal herbs. It’s made of limestone, and if you’re able to zoom in on the next picture (of the inside of its base and broken edge) you may be able to see some of the little shells in its composition. We’ve found one medieval mortar ‘sherd’ before in Aberdeen, at a site below part of the Bon Accord Centre – the source of that one was thought to be Purbeck in Dorset, from where they were exported around north-west Europe.
In the last few days we’ve had a little bit of news about our first radio-carbon sample, taken from the split log coffin in which one of the earliest burials on the site was made. Initial results from the lab are suggesting an early 11th century date for the wood, but we’re waiting for some more tests to be done before we can be more precise.
If you’re reading this in Aberdeen, you may know that Saturday 5th August is Tartan Day. There’s no more authentic way to celebrate Scottish heritage and culture than taking this once-in-a-lifetime chance to visit the dig. St Nicholas is, of course, located right at the centre point of the day’s events and celebrations, so I hope you’ll come on one of our excavation tours at 10.30, 11.30, 1.30, 2.30 and 3.30 on Saturday. Members of the congregation of the Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting will be serving teas and coffees at a small charge, and, appropriately enough, launching their very own tartan too.
For further information and comment, please contact judiths@aberdeencity.gov.uk: 01224 523658.
