Looks like an Oakeshott type X blade carved on the tomb. Nice hilt too.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=036_1363437587

Awesome. Although I would say its more likely a type XII or even a type XIIIb. The hilt looks an awful lot like the Albion Caithness. Very cool find!!!

Indeed, very interesting find!
You could read an article about it here

http://www.isciencetimes.com/articles/4698/20...eleton.htm

and a picture of the stone

[ Linked Image ]

The sword with its multi-lobed pommel and accompanied by a foliate-headed Calvary cross looks very like some of the mid-14th century graveslabs in the West Highlands. Was the stone imported into Edinburgh, or was the sculptor brought over? Will we ever know?
Neil

Or was this a general Scot tradition or did lowlanders make highland grave slabs....

Lots of possible scenes can play out. In England at least these seem to be made in larger towns, looking as how there are very few towns in the Highlands and Isles makes one wonder. They also have far fewer stone buildings than the low lands and borders.

I doubt we will ever know though. If other places are any indication I'd guess it'd go from a fabrication center to its final destination.

RPM

I realize that there is much we can learn for a well preserved find such as this, but I really question why it is that we feel the need to dig up, test, and display the remains of our ancestors. Personally I find it very disrespectful of the knight, that was, to violate his resting place and remains for the sake of finding out information, that really isn't all that important. Finding out what his diet, age, and health were would be interesting, but not worth the disrespect.

I often wonder how many of these people they discover buried and then remove are given a decent burial after all the exams they do on them? I am guessing not many.

I understand if they are found where there is construction being done and have to be relocated but other than that, they should be left alone. Very old grave finds often produce many items of interest but can have moral implications.

One assumes, with this and the RIII find, that car park archeology is going to be the next big thing.