organisation:

ARCH Highland

31 March 2014, Starts: 19:30

Cromarty: Exploring the Origins of a Royal Medieval Burgh

Illustrated talk by Steven Birch

Dingwall Community Centre, 7:30 (doors open at 7pm). Suggested donation: £3

Description:

'The Cromarty Medieval Burgh Community Archaeology Project was developed after winter storms and high tides in December 2012 revealed extensive medieval and post-medieval archaeological deposits on the east side of the town. The Project Team have recently completed their first season of excavations in Reeds Park, adjacent to the shoreline erosions, and the results so far are providing some intriguing insights into the layout and function of the burgh.

Below the post medieval layers we have located significant medieval remains, including the stone-built foundations of substantial buildings, supporting our belief that Medieval Cromarty was an important burgh, probably sustained by the fishing industry. Small finds from the medieval deposits on the site include ceramics dating to between the 13th and 15th centuries (including imported wares from the Scottish Central Belt, the Low Countries of Europe and Yorkshire in England), iron fish hooks and knives, stone and ceramic spindle whorls, stone pot lids and rotary quern stones.