Archaeologists are worth their salt with Joppa find

THE remains of the historic salt works at Joppa are being uncovered by archaeologists after the wall around them was destroyed in a storm.

Most of the former industrial site was demolished around 1960, but underground brick tunnels remain hidden beneath a grass-covered area.

When fierce storms buffeted the coastline last March, the sea wall at the north-west corner of the site was damaged.

With work due to start on a new wall, archaeologists are examining and removing part of the underground brickworks.

The area was used for salt production from 1630 until 1953. The part under excavation is thought to be one of the last to be constructed, dating from the 19th century.

The excavation area includes a furnace with metal doors, which blasted warm air through the adjacent brick tunnels - also part of the dig -towards a chimney which once stood to the east.

Huge metal pans above the tunnels would have been filled with sea water, which would be evaporated by the heat, leaving behind salt for use in industrial processes and domestic kitchens.

Archaeologists will record everything they uncover before it is removed to allow the wall to be rebuilt.

John Lawson, curator of archeology for the city council, said: "Archaeology is destruction by recording, so what the archaeologists are doing is carefully recording it as we go down and there will be photographs and an analysis so we have a record of it and an archive that can be used for future research and public information.

"The importance of the project is also really highlighting threats to coastal archeology from global warming and the increase of storms.

"It's hitting home that we do have rich archaeology on Edinburgh's coastline and it can be and is susceptible to major storm damage."

Ironically, however, he said the damage done by the storm had given archaeologists a rare chance to delve beneath the surface.

He said: "The only reason we're getting to excavate this one is because the sea wall fell down. We don't often get the opportunity to look at these coastal sites. I only know of one, maybe two excavations like this in Scotland.

"If we do get 17th or 18th century material, it will put it into the national importance league. It's a possibility, but given where we are on the site, I think it's 19th century we're looking at."

Councillor Deidre Brock, the city's culture and leisure convener, said: "The city's archaeological service continues to uncover and record fascinating details about Edinburgh's past. These excavations at Joppa Pans will no doubt bring back memories for residents with a connection to the area in the first half of the last century, when the salt pans were still in use."

The dig is due to be completed later this week or early next week, with construction of the new wall carried out over the following month.