East Kirk of St Nicholas dig 25 - 29 September 2006 - Week 35
East Kirk of St Nicholas dig 25th to 29th September 2006 – Week 35
Judith Stones, Keeper of Archaeology, writes…
Before the summer holidays we had an organised schedule of visits to the dig from primary school pupils. We didn’t really expect the excavation to be going on this far into the autumn, but would be happy to arrange for any school groups to come and have a tour during October - provided, of course, that you contact us and book in advance. Here are a couple of pictures taken this week of Primary 5 fromWalker Road School in Torry, with their teacher Frances Merson, having a look at the dig and studying some of the small objects we’ve found. About 1800 school pupils must have visited the dig by now, not to mention the several who have brought along their parents and actually had a go at archaeology themselves.
A number of visitors have remarked on the neatly placed collections of bones that can be seen in some places, particularly around the edges of the excavation area, where they haven’t been removed. There’s one rather striking example in the next photo.
These bones are some of the many that we refer to inelegantly as ‘disarticulated’. They have resulted from disturbance of earlier burials in various ways. Sometimes it is the result of later interments – and the gravedigger has either placed his ‘discoveries’ respectfully together, or else simply thrown them back in on top when backfilling the new grave. We’ve so far removed about 640 articulated skeletons, but the number of actual individuals buried within the dig area between the 11th and the 18th centuries must be far greater than that.
The bones in the picture will, in fact, be removed quite soon, as we’re going to excavate a little further west (the direction you’re facing). We hope that that will show us a little more of the 11th century apse, which will be very exciting. Stuart Robertson is uncovering a coffin, probably of 17th century date. The ‘laced’ bones above his head were probably found when the wall you can see was built in the 19th century. Stuart, an archaeology graduate of Glasgow University, worked on our excavations at the Carmelite Friary in 1993. After that he set up his own town planning archaeology consultancy business in London until 2001 and has just returned now from two years teaching Latin in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Some weekends he took the ferry across the James River from Aberdeen (!) to visit the historic sites at Williamsburg and Jamestown.
Behind Stuart’s back is a newly discovered buttress attached to the south wall of the late 12th/early 13th century chancel. Abeer Ralston ,who wrote this Diary last week when I was away, promised you a photo of it this week – and here it is! You’re looking at the south face of the buttress in this view.
There were buttresses along the east, north and south walls of that chancel or east end. Another one has appeared opposite this one, on the north side. Actually, it was always visible, sort of, but we didn’t recognise what it was. You may recall that we were a bit baffled the week before last, because the sacristy north wall (on that north side of the late 12th/early 13th century east end) seemed to have been built in two phases – but it now looks as if the builders attached the north wall of the sacristy to an existing buttress. I suppose that is sort of two phases!
In the picture above you can see a cross section through the north wall of the late 12th/early 13th century east end (looking east), showing how the wall and that buttress (above the white part of the ranging rod)) have the same stone foundation. The sacristy wall continues out of the picture to left. I’m childishly fascinated by the shape of this lump of wall. Is it a poodle? Or a sphinx? Or do I need to go and lie down?
Now that the summer’s over, the opening hours are shorter, but I hope you’ll keep on coming to see us – it’s so encouraging! The church is open on Mondays and Fridays only from 12 noon to 3pm, with tours at 1.30 on both of those days. And we have another open day on Saturday 14 October, from 10am to 3pm, with tours at 10.30, 11.30, 1.00 and 2.00.
Finally, just to demonstrate that it’s not all work, here’s a picture of the team enjoying the luxury of their 36 minute lunch break in the sunshine.
For further information and comment, please contact judiths@aberdeencity.gov.uk: 01224 523658.
