The find, as part of a dig on the tram route between York Place and Newhaven, is believed to be the oldest part of the famous thoroughfare, with the cobble-lined causeway between 600-900 years old.
Whatever else they uncover, it will be added to the fascinating history of one of Edinburgh’s longest and oldest streets.
5. Craig & Rose factory
The stockroom of Craig & Rose paint company in Leith Walk Edinburgh, October 1979. Established in 1829 by young Scottish entrepreneurs James Craig and Hugh Rose, Craig & Rose manufactured their high-quality paints from a factory on Leith Walk. The company famously won the contract to paint the iconic Forth Bridge, and provided the paint for more than 100 years Photo: Jack Crombie
6. Old railway bridge, 1977
The old railway bridge across Leith Walk between Jane Street and Manderston Street was constructed in the early 1900s by the Caledonian Railway as part of their “New Leith Line". Their ambitions were never fully realised and the line was only ever used for freight until it was closed in the late 1960s. Photo: Joe Steele
7. Kinetic sculpture
Installed in September 1973 as part of Edinburgh's Christmas decorations, the ‘permanent’ 80-feet high kinetic sculpture on the roundabout at Picardy Place had 96 fixed coloured light tubes linked to electrical circuits controlled by a wind vane, which would change the lights with the weather. Almost as soon as it was completed a campaign started to have it removed. It became popularly known as the "drunken pylon". The kinetic sculpture survived ten years, during which it almost never worked, and was finally removed in 1983. Photo: George Smith
8. The Foot of Leith Walk
The Foot of Leith Walk was a busy place in 1898, with a horse-drawn tram taking people to and fro and customers flocking to George Marr's fruit and sweet shop with its window displays. Photo: Unknown