About us
Excavation
From the very beginning, in 1971, the Society carried out excavations at Fast Castle in Berwickshire. As work on the site was restricted to Sundays, with only occasional longer periods, these excavations continued until 1986. A full report was published in 2001. In 2002 the Society was delighted to be presented with the Pitt Rivers Award, one of the biennial British Archaeological Awards, in respect of this publication.
Since 1976, the Society has carried out excavations on several sites at Cramond, under the auspices of the City of Edinburgh Council. Between 1988 and 2001 members undertook an assessment of the area between Cramond Roman fort and its bathhouse where evidence was found of Mesolithic activity of 8500BC - the earliest settlement site in Scotland - and traces of the former village of Nether Cramond, demolished in 1826. The excavation phase has been completed, and post-excavation work is now under way. In 1987-88 EAFS carried out a field survey and trial excavation at Arniston Estate, near Gorebridge, by kind permission of the owner.
The Society has completed three seasons of ground resistance survey and excavation at Castlehill, Penicuik, on the estate of Sir Robert Clerk, from 2003 to 2005. The site is recorded in the Old Statistical Account and was suggested to be an Iron Age fort. Paved areas were uncovered in their 2004 excavations, but it was not until 2005 that stone tools were found, confirming the Iron Age dating of the site. Excavation in the two existing trenches adjacent to the 'castle' will continue in 2006 and the south-western bank and ditch of this now presumed promontory fort will be sectioned. The site is not listed on Canmore.
As the reputation and skills of Society members have broadened, invitations to participate in several professional excavations have been received, together with requests fo perform geophysical surveys. The Society has provided volunteers on such sites as the Roman bath-house at Cramond; High Street, Edinburgh; Throsk (pottery and possible kiln site); Elginhaugh Roman fort; the French fort at Eyemouth; High Street, Linlithgow; Inveresk, various sites around Traprain Law; Roman sites near Falkirk; and an early Christian and medieval cemetery at Auldhame near North Berwick. The Society has also assisted at Ronaldson's Wharf, Leith, and at the Roman site at Cramond Campus by undertaking the finds processing.
Geophysics
The Society purchased ground resistance measuring equipment in 2002, having previously conducted some surveys using borrowed equipment. Surveys have been carried out at Newhailes House at the request of the National Trust for Scotland; in Pittencreiff Park, Dunfermline, at the request of Fife Council; at East Bonhard Farm at the request of RCAHMS; at four sites adjacent to the Roman fort at Cramond; on the Hopetoun Estate; and at Eddleston in conjunction with the Peeblesshire Archaeological Society. The current project is a major survey, adjacent to the Roman road that leaves Cramond fort in a south-easterly direction; there is some historical evidence that points to this field being the site of a Roman cemetery.
Fieldwalking
From time to time fieldwalking opportunities occur on various sites, usually as one- or two-day surveys. Collected artefacts provide an indication of the archaeology in the area and the disposition of the finds within a field can point to habitation and the period when it took place.
An ongoing investigation on the Dalmeny Estate has found Mesolithic tools very like those excavated at Cramond, possibly pointing to a site of similar 10,000 BP date. As a follow up to the fieldwalking an excavation, in conjunction with the Department of Archaeology of the University of Edinburgh, is planned for mid-summer 2006.
Shorewatch
The EAFS is actively involved in the Shorewatch project which records structural and other findings on the shoreline which may be subject to damage by environmental causes. The stretch of shore allocated for study by the Society extends east from Bo'ness to Blackness and then further on to Port Edgar.
Considerable interest is being generated by the finding of the remains of fish traps in the intertidal zone confirming that the area had a significant inshore fishing industry, probably in the 18th and 19th centuries. Associated with these are the remains of possible slipways and breakwaters to service the fishing activities.
Outings for surveying are held several times a year on weekdays at low tide.
Post-Excavation Work
Following on from the actual digging, there is a multitude of tasks which must be carried out in order to produce an excavation report, mandatory for all archaeologists, amateur and professional. The final report is the responsibility of the Site Director, while other tasks such as pot washing, pot reconstruction, finds numbering, cataloguing, drawing finds, and plans, etc, are undertaken by members, usually indoors. It is perfectly possible to take an active part in archaeology without wielding a trowel.
One point must be made about the carrying out of any work by an amateur group such as EAFS. The fact that meetings or activities are, at best, on a weekly basis or thereabout, means that work can be protracted, and requires a certain dedication and commitment to see it through to a conclusion. Work which might take a full-time team three months to complete, might take the Society at least three years. The notion that an excavation can normally be completed in three days is a televisual fantasy!
Outings
There are regular outings to places of archaeological interest or visits to sites where an excavation is in progress.
Lecture Programme
The Society organises a lecture programme, including tea or coffee, from October until May: attending these lectures is possibly the best way of finding out more about the Society, and meeting with like-minded people.
EAFS News
The Society issues a bi-monthly newsletter which gives members an update on current activities and provides information about other events of interest.
Scottish Archaeology Month
In co-operation with Cramond Heritage Trust, the Society regularly participates in the Council for Scottish Archaeology's Scottish Archaeology Month in September, when guided walks, exhibitions, an ancient technology workshop and a geophysical survey demonstration may be on offer.
Historical Research
In addition to fieldwork, the Society has researched and published two books on the history of Fast Castle, which place the excavations there in an historical perspective. Further research has been undertaken on the history of Cramond Parish, but this has not yet been written up. Other publications on Cramond can be found on the Cramond Heritage Trust's page www.cramondheritagetrust.org.uk.
Library
The society has a small library containing a wide range of material of archaeological interest. Loans from this are available to all members.
Publications
KL Mitchell, KL 1988 Fast Castle - A history from 1602
124pp - ISBN 0 9513156 0 9 (This volume is now out of print)
Kennaway, M 1992 Fast Castle - The Early Years
143pp - ISBN 0 9513156 1 7 Price now reduced to £5 (£4 p&p).
Mitchell, KL, Murdoch, KR & Ward, JR 2001 Fast Castle Excavations, 1971- 1986
213pp - ISBN 0 9513156 2 5 Price now reduced to £10 (£4 p&p).
Shorter publications
Dean, VE 1994 Cramond Excavations 1988 & 1990: Trench A
Dean, VE 1999 Boom Site: Excavation of a conjectural component of World War II boom between Cramond Foreshore and Cramond Island, Edinburgh, 1999
Dean, VE 2001 Lauriston Castle, Edinburgh: Archaeological investigation of picnic area within the Castle grounds
Dean, VE 2001 Cramond Excavations 1988-2001. Trench H: Clay-bonded wall of the late furnace room of the Roman bathhouse
Dean VE 2002 Cramond Excavations 1988-2001 : Investigation of a well in Cramond Village, Edinburgh
Dean, VE 2004 Cramond Roman Fort : Legionary building stone at the Old Schoolhouse, Cramond
Jones, HMD EAFS Geophysics Occasional Papers 1 - 12
To date twelve short reports have been written covering the geophysical surveys and associated excavations.
Copies of the above publications are held in the libraries of the Society and RCAHMS.