Skeletons halt work on clinic

Edinburgh Evening News ^ | October 28, 2010 | Adam Morris

[SunkenCiv]

It is a major public sector building project which has been delayed, causing headaches for bosses and the public. But it is decapitated skeletons and 2000-year-old forts rather than red tape and swelling costs that have caused the hold-up for the new health centre in Musselburgh... significant Roman remains were discovered... human remains, the bones of horses and weapons and culinary tools. Archeologists there said the "unique" finds, among the most impressive ever discovered in Scotland from that period, will help build a picture not only of Roman activity in Musselburgh from 140AD, but improve the wider understanding of life at that time... there are impressive sections of rampart, thought to be part of a defensive wall for a fortlet. Site director for CFA Archaeology, which is working on the site, Magnus Kirby said that some of the findings predated the Roman era, with items such as flints possibly dating back up to 5000 years... It was known before the excavation began that Romans had existed in that area but the number of discoveries since work began three months ago has surprised archaeologists.

It is thought the Votadini tribe inhabited the Lothians during the late Iron Age period, around the time of the birth of Christ. They built hill fort defences which are still visible on Arthur's Seat, at Dunsapie Hill and above Samson's Ribs. Historians believe they also occupied Traprain Law in East Lothian. The Roman occupation of the Lothians soon after the turn of the millennium is said to have left both physical landmarks and governance legacies... an active trading... Roman's stay in the Lothians helped convert Scotland to Christianity, and establish the early roots of our legal system.

[Lockbar]

Scotish skeletons doing what American skeletons would refuse to do.

[NutCrackerBoy]

Artefacts found across the Lothians point to an active trading set-up with locals and experts believe the Roman's stay in the Lothians helped convert Scotland to Christianity, and establish the early roots of our legal system -Adam Morris, scotsman.com

As I've always thought, our culture is inherited from Hebrews and Greeks, made permanent by the Romans' empire building.

[Tax-chick]

I don’t think the Scottish skeletons are working, either. That’s the problem ... for their economy and ours. The whole English-speaking world needs a better class of Undead.

[martin_fierro]

Union skeletons?

But of course.

They have no scabs.

[GeronL]

Wait a second... Scotland??

That’s a bit farther north than Hadrians’ Wall isn’t it?

[1010RD]

how do you turn the person to whom you are responding to italics??

They have a 2-Day class at Hogwarts.

[1010RD]

You had to post photos of the Nutty Progressive?

[null and void]

Yep. They’re Bully!

[SunkenCiv]

Those skeletons must really be scary, tellin' everyone to halt work.

But yeah, Hadrian's Wall noodles back and forth across the modern boundary between England and Scotland. The Antonine Wall is way up north of Hadrian's Wall. And those are just the two Roman-era walls that are known about. I'd not be surprised if further early-conquest-era Roman earthworks of this kind are found, for example, in Scotland. Agricola wasn't permitted to finish up the Highlands, probably due to the paucity of booty in the parts thus far conquered, and the Antonine wall went up. Later, Hadrian built the famous wall, along with some of the Limes in Germany etc, to produce a hard border that could be more easily patrolled and defended. Still later, there was a move back into Scotland, the Antonine Wall was reworked by the Romans, and they held the territory for a couple more generations. Then they fell back again to Hadrian's Wall.

The boundary between England and Wales roughly corresponds to Offa's Dyke, which King Offa of Mercia constructed after taking over the flatlands territory that had been ruled by various Welsh kings. Wat's Dyke is an *older* (used to be thought it was younger) wall erected by one of those Welsh kingdoms, and it may have been the inspiration to Offa. I'd not be surprised to learn that much of Wat's Dyke remains unrecognized under the later construction of Offa. It's amazing, really, the level of organization and amount of labor that went into all those walls.

Then there's the Wansdyke ("Woden's Dyke"), which is roughly the northern boundary of the old Kingdom of Wessex, postdates the exit of the Roman Empire; there's a smallish one called Devil's Dyke; and probably some others I'm forgetting.

[SunkenCiv]

Thansk BHF.

[GeronL]

did all these dykes get Warrior Queen Budicca all worked up or what?

/s

[The Comedian]

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[SunkenCiv]

All the good lookin’ red-haired warrior queens burning down half of a Roman colony are married.

[Vermont Lt]

Magnus Kirby. That is a great game. Not Tyler. Or Bryan. Or Barak. Magnus is a man’s name. You don’t mess with Magnus.

[GeronL]

darn

[Nailbiter]

interesting

[Redcitizen]

Obviously it was an Orthopedic clinic. The local sawbones wont have a place to work.

[SunkenCiv]

I calcium any way for it to have been otherwise.

[Larry Lucido]

A skeleton crew?

[SunkenCiv]

Unless Magnus is wearin’ a dress, er, kilt.