Latest news with #Severan
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Victory goddess sandstone carving found in rubble
A sandstone carving, believed to date back to around 213AD and represent the Roman goddess of victory, has been discovered near Hadrian's Wall. Dubbed "incredibly significant" by experts, it was uncovered by volunteers in a reused pile of rubble above infantry barracks at the Vindolanda Roman settlement in Hexham, Northumberland. Victory, known in Latin as Victoria, was revered by the ancient Romans during times of war and was often credited for battlefield success. Jim and Dilys Quinlan, from Merseyside, were in their 21st year of volunteering at the site when they made the discovery. Excavation work is carried out annually at the Roman settlement and the couple found the artefact on 1 May. "It was something really special," said Mrs Quinlan, who confessed to having fallen in love with volunteering at the site almost immediately. "By the end of our first week there, we both had to be dragged away. "We love the team work and that feeling you're part of something much greater than yourself." Dr Andrew Birley, director of excavations for the Vindolanda Trust, said the find was the couple's "reward for 21 years of hard work and dedication". The stone is thought to be one side of a much larger relief which would have framed an inscription in its centre. It would have represented the end of Severan wars and the establishment of the fort at the site in the 3rd Century, Vindolanda said. Dr Birley said symbolism would have been a vital part of the culture for the soldiers there almost 2,000 years ago. The trust's curator, Barbara Birley, said it was "highly likely" the stone would have been brightly painted. The team will work with specialists to see if any traces of the pigment remain. "For now, the relief is being stored unwashed ready for that further analysis," Ms Birley said. The carving is set to go on public display in early 2026 at the Vindolanda museum. Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Thief 'dropped' 16th Century coin plundering fort Scheme to help young people dig at Roman site opens Chalice pieces discovered in 'wow factor' find Vindolanda
Miami Herald
21-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
Stunning image of mythical winged goddess revealed at ancient Roman fort in UK
Centuries ago, a 73-mile-long stone wall marked the northwest border of the expansive Roman Empire. The wall was built on order of Emperor Hadrian in 122 A.D and includes Vindolanda, a Roman fort. For decades, archaeologists have been working along Hadrian's Wall to better understand the daily lives of soldiers and those at the northernmost reaches of the empire, including by inviting volunteers to try their hand at excavations. Sometimes those volunteers make their own discoveries. On May 1, veteran volunteers Jim and Dilys Quinlan were looking through stones that had been reused above infantry barracks when they noticed a figure on one of the rocks, according to a May 21 news release from the Vindolanda Charitable Trust. The relief depicts a woman, identified by archaeologists as the goddess Victoria, or Victory, according to the release. The counterpart to Greek goddess Nike, Victoria personified victory and was 'highly revered by the ancient Romans, during times of war she was often credited for battlefield success,' according to the trust. Victory is commonly depicted as a winged figure, holding a palm frond or laurel and descending from above as a messenger of the gods, according to the University of Chicago. On the stone, the front of her body is visible, but the complete image has been damaged as the piece was reused for another construction. 'The stone is thought to be one side of a much larger relief which would have framed an inscription in its center. These particular barracks at Vindolanda were built at the end of a tumultuous time for the Romans in Britain, in (213 A.D.), just after the end of the Severan wars,' the trust said. 'The barracks were once adorned with a large ornamental arch and gate, precisely the location where an inscription may have been present. The relief of Victory is poignant, representing the end of the war and the establishment of the fort at the site.' Roman reliefs were commonly painted with bright colors, and it is likely this figure was painted at one time, according to the trust. Specialists will examine the image to see if there are any remnants of pigment that could be used to determine the colors once marking Victory's body. 'Finds like this are increasingly rare these days from Roman Britain, but the beautifully carved figure vividly reminds us that Roman forts were not simply utilitarian, they had grandeur and of course the symbolism was a vital part of the culture here for the soldiers almost 2,000 years ago,' Andrew Birley, director of excavations, said in the release. The Quinlans have been volunteering at Vindolanda for more than two decades, the trust said. 'I am also delighted for Jim and Dilys for their discovery,' Birley said. 'It is just reward for their 21 years of hard work and dedication to this site.' Hadrian's Wall, and Vindolanda, have made headlines for past discoveries, particularly for a collection of phallic-shaped carvings, images and charms discovered among the rocks. Vindolanda is located in Hexham in north-central England.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Amateur archaeologists unearth winged goddess at Hadrian's Wall
A striking Roman depiction of the winged goddess of victory has been discovered near Hadrian's Wall by volunteers helping archaeologists on an official excavation. The stone relief was found by a Merseyside couple at Vindolanda, the site of the important Roman fort near Hexham, Northumberland. Dilys Quinlan, 69, works in healthcare, while her husband, Jim, 68, is an engineer with Liverpool city council. This season marks their 21st year as volunteers at Vindolanda, regularly travelling from their home near Liverpool to assist archaeologists at the site. To their excitement, they spotted the stone relief in rubble that they were clearing above the site's infantry barracks. Dilys said: 'We've spent the vast majority of our annual leave at Vindolanda over the years. As veteran diggers, it is without doubt the most wonderful thing we've ever done and, importantly, it's something we do as a couple. 'It's the best form of relaxation that we know of. We eat well, sleep well, we're in good company and there's always more to learn. What more could you ask for?' Dr Andrew Birley, the director of excavations at Vindolanda, said: 'For our volunteers to find things like this is just simply beyond wonderful because they put so much work and dedication into the site. 'There is that sense of palpable excitement when you turn over the 2,000th piece of Roman rubble and you see on the other side the face of a goddess staring right back at you. What you get there is a direct connection. It's almost like you're touching the past and all those years melt away, which is just wonderful. As archaeologists, as volunteers who dedicate so much time, we do this for these moments.' He spoke of the public's insatiable interest in archaeology: 'When we open the applications for [volunteers] to join the excavations, we fill up in about a minute. It's ridiculous. It's a mini version of Glastonbury. 'I feel terrible because we probably get four or five thousand people who want to join us and we can only take five hundred … You're actually a participant and, when you make discoveries like this, you're writing yourself into the history of archeology in Britain.' Rob Collins, a professor of Frontier Archaeology at Newcastle University, has identified the figure as Victory, the personification of victory in Roman religion and mythology, revered during times of war and often credited for battlefield success. Birley said these particular barracks at Vindolanda were built at the end of a tumultuous time for the Romans in Britain, in about AD213, just after the Severan wars. The 47cm-tall carving is thought to have symbolised the ends of the wars and to have been part of a much bigger relief. The barracks were once adorned with a large ornamental arch and gate. Birley said: 'The beautifully carved figure vividly reminds us that Roman forts were not simply utilitarian. They had grandeur and of course the symbolism was a vital part of the culture here for the soldiers almost 2,000 years ago.' Related: London's first Roman basilica found under office block Volunteers do everything from site recording to physical excavations. Asked whether they wished they had become professional archaeologists, Dilys said: 'We're very interested in history, particularly Greek and Roman … But no, we're happy with the public service work that we do. Archaeology for us is a really great hobby. 'We feel very much part of the Vindolanda 'family', playing our small part in adding to the knowledge base of life on the frontier, but importantly, above all else, being part of something that is greater than yourself.' The Vindolanda charitable trust has been accepting volunteers on to its excavations since its foundation in 1970. Birley's archaeologist father, Robin, headed the team that discovered the Vindolanda writing tablets in 1973. The handwritten wooden notes revealed first-hand information from the people who lived at the site 2,000 years ago. The stone relief of Victory will go on public display in early 2026 at the Vindolanda Museum as part of an exhibition of recent discoveries.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lions in Yorkshire? Archaeologists uncover gruesome evidence of ancient Roman bloodsports
Forget the Colosseum and what you've seen in the Gladiator film franchise - the latest evidence of ancient Roman brutality comes not from the heart of Italy, but from a quiet field in Yorkshire. A Roman-era skeleton unearthed in York, England, has given archaeologists the first physical proof that gladiators in Britain clashed not just with each other, but with ferocious beasts. Experts say the man's pelvis bears bite marks from a large feline - most likely a lion - revealing that brutal man-versus-beast spectacles weren't confined to the Colosseum, but reached the far-flung corners of the Roman Empire, including ancient Eboracum (now York). Until now, our impression of such bloody face-offs came mostly from mosaics and pottery, where lions can be seen pouncing and gladiators bleed in stylised agony. But this is the first time skeletal remains have offered concrete evidence. "This discovery provides the first direct, physical evidence that such events took place in this period, reshaping our perception of Roman entertainment culture in the region", Professor Tim Thompson, the forensic expert who led the study, told the BBC. Related Mass grave mystery: Archaeologists discover 150 Roman-era soldiers in Vienna Archaeologists stunned by one of Britain's biggest Iron Age hoards which could rewrite history Under the rule of the Severan dynasty - an African-born emperor who likely brought animals from his homeland - York would've been the perfect stage for the gruesome pageantry of damnatio ad bestias (condemnation to beasts). The man - aged between 26 and 36 when he died in the 3rd century AD - was buried in what's believed to be a gladiator cemetery, located at Driffield Terrace, in York. Earlier analysis of the bones, unearthed in a 2004 dig, suggested he was likely a "Bestiarius" - a type of gladiator specifically trained to battle wild animals. His injuries, researchers say, perfectly match the bite force of a big cat, confirmed by comparisons with large cats at London Zoo. Thompson has further revealed that the location of the bite marks offered an unexpected clue about how the gladiator met his end. 'The pelvis', he explained, 'is not where lions normally attack, so we think this gladiator was fighting in some sort of spectacle and was incapacitated, and that the lion bit him and dragged him away by his hip.' Researchers now aim to uncover how lions were brought to Britain and explore further the lives of gladiators at the fringes of the Roman Empire.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lions in Yorkshire? Archaeologists uncover gruesome evidence of ancient Roman bloodsports
Forget the Colosseum and what you've seen in the Gladiator film franchise - the latest evidence of ancient Roman brutality comes not from the heart of Italy, but from a quiet field in Yorkshire. A Roman-era skeleton unearthed in York, England, has given archaeologists the first physical proof that gladiators in Britain clashed not just with each other, but with ferocious beasts. Experts say the man's pelvis bears bite marks from a large feline - most likely a lion - revealing that brutal man-versus-beast spectacles weren't confined to the Colosseum, but reached the far-flung corners of the Roman Empire, including ancient Eboracum (now York). Until now, our impression of such bloody face-offs came mostly from mosaics and pottery, where lions can be seen pouncing and gladiators bleed in stylised agony. But this is the first time skeletal remains have offered concrete evidence. "This discovery provides the first direct, physical evidence that such events took place in this period, reshaping our perception of Roman entertainment culture in the region", Professor Tim Thompson, the forensic expert who led the study, told the BBC. Related Mass grave mystery: Archaeologists discover 150 Roman-era soldiers in Vienna Archaeologists stunned by one of Britain's biggest Iron Age hoards which could rewrite history Under the rule of the Severan dynasty - an African-born emperor who likely brought animals from his homeland - York would've been the perfect stage for the gruesome pageantry of damnatio ad bestias (condemnation to beasts). The man - aged between 26 and 36 when he died in the 3rd century AD - was buried in what's believed to be a gladiator cemetery, located at Driffield Terrace, in York. Earlier analysis of the bones, unearthed in a 2004 dig, suggested he was likely a "Bestiarius" - a type of gladiator specifically trained to battle wild animals. His injuries, researchers say, perfectly match the bite force of a big cat, confirmed by comparisons with large cats at London Zoo. Thompson has further revealed that the location of the bite marks offered an unexpected clue about how the gladiator met his end. 'The pelvis', he explained, 'is not where lions normally attack, so we think this gladiator was fighting in some sort of spectacle and was incapacitated, and that the lion bit him and dragged him away by his hip.' Researchers now aim to uncover how lions were brought to Britain and explore further the lives of gladiators at the fringes of the Roman Empire.
