1 April 2023 The Future is the Product of the Past

Vindolanda marks the 1900th anniversary of Hadrian’s Wall with an altar discovery

The excavation season hasn’t started yet, but the Vindolanda Roman fort has kicked off Hadrian’s Wall’s 1900th anniversary year with a surprising archaeological find: a stone altar.

Recent extreme weather has contributed to the discovery of the first find of 2022 at a Roman site in Northumberland.

The altar was found in Vindolanda Stream next to the site’s museum when staff was cleaning a tree felled by violent storms the weekend before last.

The altar is damaged, broken, and worn from exposure to the water and harsh elements of Northumberland. There is no visible inscription to identify the dedication, but archaeologists believe it dates to the third century.

Hadrians Wall
Hadrian’s Wall’s

Vindolanda Trust CEO and Director of Excavations, Andrew Birley said: “Originally, it would have stood well over a meter, but the surviving part is around 40 – 45cm tall. Looking at it, it’s most likely from the 3rd century – most were made in this buff, grey sandstone. It’s probably a local stone.”

“It’s another piece of the jigsaw. It’s probably part of the edge because it’s smashed! But if other pieces come up, maybe we’ll be able to cobble it together. All the finds are important, even if this one doesn’t tell us a huge amount because there’s no writing on it. However, it’s part of the rich fabric of the site.

Andrew said that the find is a product of climate change rather than purposeful excavation or research.

More parts of it may turn up as the water levels drop, so Vindolanda staff and volunteers will do a follow-up search around the find site when the weather permits.

Hadrians-Wall-1900-

Hadrian’s Wall will celebrate its 1900th anniversary in 2022 with a year-long festival of events and activities.

Vindolanda, like other settlements along Hadrian’s Wall, is planning an exciting year to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of the wall’s completion.

Individuals, groups, venues, and organizations along the length of the UNESCO World Heritage Site are now being invited to plan their own celebration to be included in the Hadrian’s Wall 1900 program.

Inclusion in the Festival is open to anyone that wishes to explore and demonstrate what Hadrian’s Wall means to them.

Learn more about events and activities that will be held this year at sites across Hadrian’s Wall on the website of the 1900 Festival

Cover Photo: Volunteer John Pearson posing with the altar uncovered at Vindolanda this week (Image: Vindolanda Trust)

Banner
Related Post

Mummy of Egyptian pharaoh Amenhotep ‘unwrapped’ for the first time in 3,500 years!

30 December 2021

30 December 2021

Egyptian scientists have digitally unwrapped the 3,500-year-old mummy of pharaoh Amenhotep I. For the first time, a team in Egypt...

Habib-i Neccar Mosque, one of the first mosques in Anatolia, was destroyed in the earthquake

12 February 2023

12 February 2023

Antakya Habib-i Neccar Mosque, one of the first mosques built in Anatolia, was destroyed in the earthquake that killed tens...

Bronze Age Treasure Found in Swedish Forests

30 April 2021

30 April 2021

A man who studied the forest to make a map for the orienteering club in western Sweden made an incredible...

“Human evolution” Migration out of Africa was affected by climate constraints.

25 August 2021

25 August 2021

The story of modern man’s migration from Africa still remains unclear in many aspects. Why did people migrate? Is it...

İnscriptions in Turkey is Showing How Romans Tackled İnflation

21 March 2021

21 March 2021

The largest marble city in the world, located in western Turkey in the province of Muğla, draws attention with large...

New Huge Viking-age boat grave discovered by Radar in Norway

12 April 2022

12 April 2022

Archaeologists have located a boat grave from the Viking Age near Øyesletta in Norway during a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey....

A 2000-year-old wooden figure was unearthed in a Buckinghamshire ditch

13 January 2022

13 January 2022

An extremely rare, carved wooden figure from the early Roman era has been discovered in a waterlogged ditch during work...

Jomon Ruins Adding to UNESCO World Heritage List

26 May 2021

26 May 2021

An international advisory panel has recommended that a group of ruins from the ancient Jomon period in northern Japan is...

Pompeii Reopening Antiquarium

6 February 2021

6 February 2021

The Antiquarium, a permanent museum within the Pompeii Archaeological pact, reopens. Opened in 1873, the Antiquarium was bombed during World...

Research Helps İlluminate the History of the Scythians with 111 Ancient Genomes

27 March 2021

27 March 2021

Due to their interactions and conflicts with the major contemporaries of Eurasia, the Scythians enjoyed legendary status in history and...

Artificial Intelligence Project That Will Revolutionize Archaeology

5 April 2021

5 April 2021

Polish Scientists to opening a new era in archeology They plan to use artificial intelligence to detect prehistoric cemeteries, castles,...

New Discoveries on the İsland of Skokholm

29 March 2021

29 March 2021

New discoveries dating back 9000 years have been found in Skokholm, located in the Celtic Sea two miles off the...

Oman has recovered an exceptional collection of silver jewelry from a prehistoric grave

7 November 2022

7 November 2022

From a prehistoric grave dating to the 3rd millennium BC in Dahwa, North Batinah, a team of international archaeologists working...

4,400 Years Old Shaman Snake Staff Found in Finland

29 June 2021

29 June 2021

A very well-preserved 4,400-year-old Shaman Snake Staff made of wood has been found in Finland. The “Snake Staff” found is...

Unique Viking Age sword found in Norway

14 June 2022

14 June 2022

A piece of a sword was found last year on a farm in Gausel, in Stavanger, on Norway‘s west coast,...

Comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *