Rare, beautifully carved Roman altars, which are unique in Scotland – and internationally significant – have been uncovered in Musselburgh.

The exciting discovery was made during the redevelopment of a cricket pavilion in Lewisvale Park by East Lothian Council, when two rare Roman altar stones were uncovered.

The stones were found in March 2010 and working in partnership with the council Archaeology Service and Historic Scotland, AOC Archaeology Group carefully removed them for conservation and analysis. Only the backs and sides were visible until this month when, for conservation reasons, it was finally safe to make a full inspection.

What was revealed surpassed expectations and once analysis is complete may help re-write the history books for what we know about the Roman occupation of Inveresk.

The first stone has side panels depicting a lyre (a stringed musical instrument) and griffon (a mythical beast with a lion’s body and an eagle’s head and wings) as well as pictures of a jug and bowl, objects which would be used for pouring offerings on the altar. The front face bears a carved inscription dedicating the altar to the god Mithras.

The front face of the second stone shows female heads which represent the four seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter. All are wearing headdresses – spring flowers, summer foliage, autumn grapes and a shawl for winter. The centre of the stone contains a carving of the face of a God, probably Sol, wearing a solar crown. The eyes, mouth and solar rays are all pierced and the hollowed rear shaft would probably have held a lantern or candle letting the light shine through, similar to a Halloween pumpkin or turnip lantern.

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An inscription on a panel beneath the four seasons is currently partially obscured but likely bears the name of the dedicator who is believed to be a Roman centurion, and the God to whom the altar is dedicated. Traces of red and white paint are still visible beneath the inscription panel suggesting that it was originally brightly painted at least in part.

Councillor Ruth Currie, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, said: “This is enormously exciting and its significance could be huge. These beautiful artefacts could reveal a whole new strand of East Lothian’s history and possibly even shed light on the way the Romans lived on an international scale. I am absolutely delighted that this truly wonderful find has been unearthed in East Lothian and look forward to hearing more detail as the investigations continue.”

Dr Fraser Hunter, Iron Age and Roman Curator at National Museums Scotland, has provided an expert assessment of the altars’ importance in Roman history.

He said: “Discoveries like this breathe life into our Roman past and show what excitements are still out there, waiting to be found. The quality of these sculptures is remarkable, and they will tell us an enormous amount. This is the first evidence for the god Mithras in Scotland, and changes our view of Roman religion on the northern frontier.”

John Gooder, Operations Director at AOC Archaeology Group, is the archaeologist who discovered the altar stones during monitoring works.

He said: “It was a fantastic moment when I first realised that the stones we were cleaning were in fact ornately sculptured Roman altars. Their survival is testament to the merits of our statutory protection system and the planning process, which will also ensure that they are appropriately analysed, conserved and curated and that information about them is available to everybody in due course.”

Dr James Bruhn of Historic Scotland commented: “The discovery of altar stones to the eastern God Mithras adds a fascinating new chapter to the story of Inveresk’s Roman past. The quality of the altars highlights the rich archaeological remains surviving beneath the houses, gardens and parks of Inveresk and the ongoing need for us all to work together to protect and manage one of Scotland’s most important Roman sites.”

(GK)