Proc Antiqc So Scot, (1988)8 11 , 139-176, fich A4-2: 1 e 6 :D Excavation Romae th t a sn civil settlement a t Inveresk, 1976-77 Gordon D Thomas* with contribution BarnetsonD P n Li y sb , Catherine Brooks, Brenda Dickinson, Chris Going, George Haggarty, Katherine Hartley, A J Hayes, Audrey Henshall, N McQ Holmes, Anne K Howard, Vivien Swan and Roberta S Tomber SUMMARY Excavations outside the Roman fort at Inveresk revealed an extensive and well-established civilian settlement extending along the ridge to the east of the fort and beneath the present village. Four main phases of activity were identified, the middle two (phase 2 and phases 3/4) corresponding to the periodsAntoninetwo the of occupation Scotland.of earlierAn phase activityof (phasewas 1) represented characteristica by V-profiled ditch whichfor directno dating evidence existed whichbut may indicate the presence of a pre-settlement Roman enclosure in the vicinity. A buried turf-line directly overlying the phase 1 deposits suggested a period of abandonment over part of the site at least. The foundation trenches of a timber building surrounding a stone-built furnace and a second timber structure, which had been burnt to the ground, comprised the structural elements of phase 2. The subsequent phase of activity, phase 3/4, saw the rebuilding of the site on a much grander scale with massive timbered buildings and one stone building, all set in a regular grid separated by cobbled lanes roads.and Post-Roman deposits were confined lateto medieval modernand activity wereand characterized by stretchespits,few a of stone walling generaland disturbance over northernthe part site. ofthe These deposits were too shallow and disturbed to permit any stratigraphic separation. The majority of the finds suggest the largely domestic nature of the site, although the furnace and various pieces of industrial debris clearly indicate some form of industrial activity. In particular, the analysis of a type of pottery characteristic of the site demonstrated its origin in the area and probably on sitethe of Inveresk suggestionitself.The forwardput is that excavationsthe have uncovered part ofthe potter's workshop. Further information was also gathered concerning the subsistence economy and exchange networks. Department of Archaeology, University of Edinburgh. George Square. Edinburgh 140 | SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 1988 CONTENTS PRINT (lllUS 1-21) Introduction.......................................................................0 14 . excavation.....................................................................e Th 4 .14 Discussion.......................................................................... 156 finds..........................................................................e Th 5 16 . FICHE (illus 22-53) finde Th s Stampe decorated dan d samian Brenda Dickinson ............................. 1: A7-B9 Plain samian Gordo ThomanD s ........................................... BIO-1: 1 . 3 Coarse ware Gordon D Thomas ............................................ 1: C1-E11 Mortaria Katherine Hartley .............................................. : E12-G.1 3 Note on the amphora stamp Chris Going ........................................ 1: G4 Petrolog selectef yo d wares Robert TombeaS r ................................ G5-: 1 . 9 Neolithio Tw c sherds Audrey Henshall ..................................... : G10-11 . 1 Post-Roman pottery Catherine Brooks and George Haggarty .................... 2: A4-11 Coins Nichola Holmes.Q sMc ............................................. : A12-B.2 1 Small finds Gordo ThomanD s ............................................. : B2-C.2 2 Animal bones Lin P D Barnetson ........................................... 2: C3-D1 Molluscan remains Anne Kimble Howard..................................... D2-: 2 . 4 Charcoal Alan J Hayes ...................................................... 2: D5-6 INTRODUCTION DESCRIPTIO SITE ETH F NO site Inveresf eo Th k stand blufa n sfo forme Rivee th y rdb Esk, wher cutt e i raise e sth d beaches on the final leg of its journey to the sea (illus 1). The fort has the natural defences of steep slope and rive thren o r e side frod elevates san mit d position occupie idean sa l strategic site, commanding excellent views east along the fertile rolling countryside of East Lothian, south across the gently rising Esk valley to the higher ground behind Dalkieth and to the Pentland Hills and west to the distinctive mas Arthur'f so scite SeaEdinburghf th yo n i t antiquitn I . northe aree th yth o at , wher presene eth t town of Musselburgh stands, and the Haugh to the south would have presented the additional barriers otidaa f l estuar poorld yan y draine forte dease th marshlandf ,th o talon o t s ggravea wa t I . l ridge forme erosioe late th y th e db f glacian o l raised Rivebeace th y hrb Esk, tha greatese tth t potentiar lfo settlement lay. Here was a site with an easily defensible position, good drainage, fertile soils and access to the coast. The site has revealed evidence of Neolithic occupation (fiche 2: A9), but it is not until the founding of the Roman fort on the ridge that a clear picture of human activity can be obtained. St Michael's churchyard now covers most of the fort, the church itself being one of the earliest Christian foundation Scotlann i s d (Moir 1860, 1946-n 27)I . 7 excavation presene th n si t cemetery investigated the site of the fort (Richmond 1980), but it is mainly the associated settlement, which stretches east under the present village of Inveresk that has provided the richest source of finds and information about the site. earliese Th t recorded discover Romaf yo n 156 n remaini 5s sit e eth whewa n a saltao n nd a ran 'cave' were uncovered in the grounds of Eskgrove House and brought to the attention of Queen Mary (Chalmers 1831 , alta dedicatee s 294)Th rwa . Quintuy db s Lucius Sabinianus, imperial procuraton ri THOMAS: EXCAVATIONS AT THE ROMAN CIVIL SETTLEMENT AT INVERESK, 1976-77 141 INVERESK 1976-1977 Excavations Location plan ILLUS 1 Site location 142 | SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, 1988 province th Britaif eo n (RIB 2132). Despit entreatiee eth Queen'e th f so s Treasure bailliee th o rt f so Musselburgh tha monumente th t s 'be nocht demolishi broker no t n doun reae w Napie'n di r (1593, 210) tha altae s 'utterlith t wa r e demolished' (illus 2.2)discoverye Th . 1978 n i secona , f o , d altar dedicated by the same Sabinianus suggests that Inveresk may have been an important centre, especiall s onlya y four other instance f procuratoriao s l inscriptions have been foun Britain i d n (Maxwell 1983, 385-9). 1765-n I foundatione 7th stonf so e wall tarrad san s floors were uncovered durin construce gth - bowlintioa f no g greegrounde th n ni f Inveresso k House. More foundations were note year5 d1 s later, but neither preserved nor adequately recorded (illus 2.4). In 1783 the owner of the same house filled in the east ditch of the fort, until then used as a public road from Inveresk to Musselburgh, and the road was moved to its present position. During the 1783 operations a suite of hypocausted rooms measuring approximately 30 m by 7 m (de Cardonnel 1822) was uncovered; part of this structure (Richmond 1980,297) still remains open to view (illus 2.5). In that same year the construction of new steps to the church (illus 2.6) revealed quantities of Roman bricks, fragments of 'red clay earthen- ware', great number soot-stainef so d flue othed an s r pottery fragments (Moir 1860, 12). In 182 7'circla f curiousleo y shaped stones unearthes e soutwa 'm th 5 f h3 o do t aboum 0 3 t church (illus 2.7). Marks of burning, the bones and tusks of wild boar and the antler of deer caused interpretee b thi o st sacrificiaa s da l altar. Also withi circle nth e wer urnso etw , which bore initial letters on their bases and contained a small quantity of ashes, beside a coin of Vespasian (Moir 1860, 12)urne Th .s were broken during excavatio 'altare subsequentls th d wa ' nan y destroyed. The discovery in 1878 of a stone pine cone, of the type associated with Roman funerary monuments, approximately 1 km south-east of the fort suggests the presence of a cemetery in that area. Excavations at the time failed to locate any associated structures, although several nearly complete pots were recovered from beside the sculptured stone in an ancient drainage ditch (Steven- 1879n so , 272) same Th . e author record discoverye sth grounde th n i , Inveresf so k Poor Housef o , structural remains associated with a possible well (ibid, 276). Field systems have been revealed by aerial photography in the fields immediately to the east of presene th t villag t Josepe(S h 1951, 61); thes similae ear thoso rt e excavate t Croda y Hill (Hanson 1979, 20). These rectilinear ditched plots, which also occur at Carriden, Rough Castle and possibly Camelon (Hallida alt ye 1981 'differena f , o 60) e ar , t character' from thos othef eo y r areama d san represen distinca t t Romano-British type associated with Roman fortsettlementd an s Scotlandn si . Moir (1860,23) suggested the existence of a harbour and associated works at Fisherrow, to the north-west of the fort. It is likely that a site such as Inveresk would have direct access to the sea and Fisherrow provides the nearest and indeed the only suitable location in the area. Although Moir quotes eye-witness account discovere th f earle so th yn yi 19th centur f 'ruinyo s simila thoso t r f eo Inveresk', as well as a road connecting the harbour to the fort, it is impossible to accept the existence of such remains without the corroborative evidence of excavation. Moir (1860,24) also discusses the evidence for roads from Fisherrow to the west, in the direction of Cramond, and to the south, across the Shire Haugh to the Dalkeith area.