More skeletons discovered at medieval site in Edinburgh

Archaeologists working on the building site of the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation have discovered what appears to be a family tomb, perhaps related to a medieval knight who was discovered in the same location last month.

Seven full and one partial skeleton have been found, including an adult female and infant skeleton, which were laid to rest within the confines of an ancient wall. The archaeologists believe this could be the remains of a family crypt.

Ross Murray, the archaeologist who is leading the dig, said “This site just keeps getting more and more interesting, it is turning out to be a real treasure trove of archaeology. We just can’t seem to stop finding skeletons and bones.

“These new finds looks likely to be the possible relations of the suspected Medieval Knight we found earlier this year. The skull of the skeleton found immediately beneath the location of the Knight looks like that of a female and the remains found on the other side of the ornate slab belong to an infant from the same period.”

The discoveries were all made under a car park on the building site of the new Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) building in the Old Town of Edinburgh. The site was formerly that of the 13th century Blackfriar’s Monastery and later the the sixteenth century Old High School and seventeenth century Royal High School. The car park is making way for an attenuation tank, which is among dozens of low carbon measures that will help create a highly energy efficient, sustainable building.

The first discovery was made earlier this year when archaeologists uncovered the corner of an elaborately decorated sandstone slab with the telltale markings of a member of the nobility, including the carvings of the Calvary Cross and an ornate sword, which tells us this belonged to a high status individual such as a knight or other nobleman. An excavation of the immediate area also uncovered an adult skeleton, which is likely to have once occupied the grave. Further excavation of the graveyard area revealed three more adult skeletons, four infants and a skull.

Excavation will continue on the site for at least another two weeks with the ‘skeleton count’ already in double figures.

Click here to read Grave of medieval knight and monastery site found in Edinburgh: http://www.medievalists.net/2013/03/13/grave-of-medieval-knight-and-monastery-site-found-in-edinburgh/