Proc Soc Antiq Scot, 127 (1997), 595-600 Excavation on Arthur's Seat fort, Edinburgh, 1995 Derek Alexander* ABSTRACT Excavation in advance of construction of a path to the summit investigated part of the defences of the fort on Arthur's Seat. No artefacts were recovered which would either confirm or refute its interpretation as a Dark Age or Early Historic fort. The remains of a later dyke were built on top of the rampart rubble. This dyke appears to be part of the rectilinear enclosure sited to the south-west of the inner rampart and which contains traces of cultivation. Evidence for recent soil erosion was apparent along the entire length of the proposed stone-pitched path. INTRODUCTION This report presents the results of an archaeological excavation carried out by the Centre for Field Archaeology (CFA) in January 1995 in advance of the construction of a new path on the eastern approach to Arthur's Seat, inside a putative Early Historic fort (NGR: NT 276 729). The work was commissioned by Historic Scotland. The fort on Arthur's Seat is defined by two parallel banks cutting off the main approaches to the summit from the north-east (illus 1). These banks incorporate a number of natural outcropping crags and hillocks. The remainder of the circuit is assumed to have been protected by the natural defences provided by the cliffs, perhaps strengthened by slighter walls which no longer survive. The fort was described and mapped by Stevenson (1947,165) and interpreted as a possible Early Historic fortification on the basis of its similarity to the outer works of Dalmahoy, Midlothian. The interior of the fort shows no surviving traces of occupation. The north-western ends of the defensive banks are overlain by a pair of later stone and turf enclosures, the larger of which appears to have enclosed cultivated land (ibid, 165). Erosion of the approaches to the summit from the north-east led to a scheme of ground consolidation and path construction being planned in 1995. The first phase of this involved a technique known as stone-pitching whereby irregular stones were laid in a soil matrix to create a path. This was to involve ground disturbance over an area of approximately 60 m by 2 m within the area of the putative Early Historic fort and adjacent to the north-west terminus of its inner bank. The area to be disturbed was excavated in advance of path-laying, both to investigate the early remains and assess the current erosion problem. Prior to excavation a survey was undertaken of the area around the north-western end of the ramparts by the City of Edinburgh District Council Archaeology Service and a report on the areas of erosion was produced (Collard 1994). This report and a copy of the survey drawing were used as a base map for illus 2. * Centre for Field Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, 12 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT