Overview
- Archaeologist Dr Andrew Birley found the 1.5ft sandstone relief under a rounded flagstone in a fourth‑century barrack, with the team identifying the discovery on June 16.
- Specialists unanimously identified the carving as a Roman 'Genius,' a protective spirit shown holding a cornucopia and a ritual dish, and the piece was deliberately covered roughly 1,600 years ago.
- This is the first carved Genius relief recorded at Vindolanda and stone reliefs of this type are rare in Roman Britain, giving the find high research value.
- Conservators are treating the carving and researchers are studying its place in the barrack context before the Vindolanda Trust displays it in the Roman Army Museum.
- Vindolanda's long record of organic and domestic finds means this relief adds direct material evidence about daily life, local carving practices, and domestic religion on the Hadrian's Wall frontier.