"Researching the surviving textiles and personal objects will give us a better understanding of how people dressed, animal bones, and shells can tell us about their diet while pottery finds could show what they ate and drank from."
In medieval times the focus of Aberdeen was around its large natural harbour and the main streets of Broad Street, Gallowgate and Castle Street. The town was a centre for trade; pottery was imported by sea from England, Northern France, the Low Countries and Rhineland. Silk from Italy and even a piece of elephant ivory were excavated in Queen Street, showing how far Aberdeen's trade links spread. At first the civic life of Aberdeen was by the harbour but in the early 14thCentury this moved to the area of Castlegate, due in part to flooding on the waterfront.
Religious life was important, fulfilling not only people's spiritual needs but also providing education and social services. Whilst the site of St Machar's Cathedral had been a focus for Christian activity since 6thCentury, there were numerous churches and religious orders in the town. A Dominican Friary was established between 1222 and 1249 on what was the edge of Aberdeen and is now Schoolhill, where the Art Gallery stands within its grounds.
Most of the people would have lived in houses made of wattle-and-daub hatched with heather, rushes or straw. Some of the larger buildings would have been roofed with pottery tiles but only a few would have been built of stone. Everyday life would be similar today many people would have worked in the industries and shops in the town while the discovering of a bone skate in Queen Street shows even in medieval times people went ice-skating.
An Anglo-Saxon Royal Palace complex
Lyminge, Kent