Scotland's first settlers' home unearthed in Edinburgh - RT

An ancient dwelling has been unearthed during construction works in Edinburgh. According to archeologists, it's the remains of one of Scotland's earliest homes.

­The dwelling was reportedly uncovered during an archaeological excavation at Echline, in preparation for the building of the Forth Replacement Crossing.

A 7-meter oval pit is all that remains of the home, dated to the Mesolithic period around 10,250 years ago, recorded as one of the earliest houses in Scotland, Dailyrecord online reported.

"This discovery and the information from the laboratory analyses add valuable details to our understanding of a small but growing list of buildings erected by Scotland's first settlers after the last glaciation 10,000 years ago," a senior archaeologist at Historic Scotland, Rod McCullagh was quoted as saying.

The remains also reportedly feature a number of postholes which probably used to hold wooden posts supporting the walls and roof; several internal fireplace hearths, as well as over 1,000 flint artifacts, large quantities of charred hazelnut shells, possibly an important source of food, among them.

"The discovery of this rare type of site has provided us with a unique opportunity to further develop our understanding of how early prehistoric people lived along the Forth," Dailyrecord online quoted project manager for Headland Archaeology, the firm who carried out the excavation, Ed Bailey, as saying.