Overview
- Archaeologist Dr Andrew Birley uncovered the 1.5-foot sandstone relief at Vindolanda during excavations on June 16, 2026, after lifting a flagstone beneath a fourth-century infantry barrack.
- The carved figure has been identified as a Roman Genius and holds a cornucopia and a patera, symbols that signify abundance and ritual offering.
- Archaeologists say the panel was deliberately concealed beneath the barrack floor about 1,600 years ago, making it the first known carved Genius relief found at Vindolanda.
- The relief is now undergoing conservation work and the Vindolanda on-site museum has plans to exhibit the piece to visitors once preservation is complete.
- Because carved stone images of a Genius are exceptionally rare in Roman Britain, the find gives direct material evidence of local religious practice and will likely prompt fresh study of life and belief on Hadrian's Wall.