Vindolanda 37757 224402200 2008-07-08T18:16:42Z Harkey Lodger 3107926 removed link to website as already in infobox {{Infobox UKproperty |property_name = Vindolanda |imgage_name = Tivedshambo 2007-05-19 Vindolanda bathhouse.jpg |image_size = 200px |caption = Military bathhouse at Vindolanda |type = Roman fort |NT/EH/RHS = [[Vindolanda Trust]] |Managed = |area = |main = Roman fort |other = [[Archaeological dig]] |public_access = Yes |museum = Yes |exhibition = Yes |country = [[England]] |region = [[North East England|North East]] |gridSquare = Ny7766 |address = {{Location map|United Kingdom |label= |background=white |lat=54.9902 |long=-2.3671 |caption=<small>Map of the UK showing the location of Vindolanda</small>{{coor title d|54.9902|N|2.3671|W|type:landmark}} |float=right |width=185 }} South east of Twice Brewed on minor road off B6318 |postcode = |refreshments = Yes |parking = Yes |shop = Yes |webAddress = [http://www.vindolanda.com Vindolanda Trust] }} '''Vindolanda'''<ref>The name is Celtic meaning something like 'fair/blessed'-'enclosure/meadow/prairie/grassy plain' (the modern Welsh word would be something like ''gwynlan'').</ref> was a [[Roman Empire|Roman]] [[auxiliaries (Roman military)|auxiliary]] [[fort]] (''[[Castra|castrum]]'') located at Chesterholm, just south of [[Hadrian's Wall]] in northern [[England]], near the modern border with [[Scotland]]; it guarded the [[Stanegate]], the [[Roman road]] from the [[River Tyne, England|River Tyne]] to the [[Solway Firth]]. It is noted for the [[Vindolanda tablets]], among the most important finds of military and private correspondence (written on wooden tablets) found anywhere in the [[Roman Empire]]. ==Garrison== The [[garrison]] were [[auxiliaries (Roman military)|auxiliary]] [[infantry]] or [[cavalry]] units, not components of [[Roman legion]]s. From the early third century AD onwards, this was the [[Cohort (military unit)|Fourth Cohort]] of [[Gauls]]. It had been presumed that this title was by this time purely nominal, with auxiliary troops being recruited locally, but an inscription found in a recent season of excavations suggests that native Gauls were still to be found in the regiment and that they liked to distinguish themselves from British soldiers.<ref name="Selkirk">Selkirk, A. "A ritual statue from Vindolanda." ''Current Archaeology'' '''205''': 4-5 (2006)</ref> The inscription reads: <blockquote><small> CIVES GALLI<br> DE GALLIAE<br> CONCORDES<br> QUE BRITANNI<br></small></blockquote> Of which a free translation would be "The troops from Gaul dedicate this statue to the goddess [[Gallia (goddess)|Gallia]] with the full support of the British-born troops".<ref name="Selkirk"/> ==Fort and town== The fort was originally constructed in turf and timber before [[Hadrian's Wall]] was built around 122 AD,<ref>C. Michael Hogan, ''Vindolanda Roman Fort'', The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham (2007) [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=17742] </ref> and was repaired and rebuilt several times. Later, apparently after a period of abandonment when the garrison transferred to a fort on the Wall itself (probably [[Vercovicium|Vercovicium (Housesteads) Fort]]), a new stone fort was built approximately on the same site. This fort, and the civilian community abutting it, called a ''[[vicus]]'', remained in existence until the end of the Roman period in Britain in 410. Scattered finds suggest that some type of settlement, possibly including an early church, survived well into the fifth century. The ''vicus'' contains several rows of buildings, each containing several one-room chambers. Most of them are not connected to the existing drainage system. The one that is may have been a butchery where, for health reasons, an efficient drain would have been important. To the south of the fort are the remains of a large [[Thermae|Roman bath]]. Along the interior side of the south wall of the stone fort, several semi-circular stone structures of indeterminate nature and design are located. {{RomanMilitary}} ==Excavation== In the 1930s, the house at Chesterholm where the museum is now located was purchased by archaeologist [[Eric Birley]], who was interested in excavating the site. The excavations have been continued by his sons, [[Robin Birley (archaeologist)|Robin]] and [[Anthony Birley|Anthony]], and his grandson, [[Andrew Birley]], into the present day. They are undertaken each summer, and some of the archaeological deposits reach depths of six meters. The [[hypoxia (environmental)|anoxic]] conditions at these depths have preserved thousands of artifacts that normally disintegrate in the ground,<ref>The bacteria responsible for degrading organic matter require oxygen.</ref> thus providing an opportunity to gain a fuller understanding of Roman life &ndash; military and otherwise &ndash; on the northern frontier. Along with ongoing excavations (in season) and excavated remains, a full size replica of a section of [[Hadrian's Wall]] in both stone and timber can be seen on the site. ==Site museum== [[Image:Tivedshambo 2007-05-19 Vindolanda gardens.jpg|thumb|left|Gardens outside the museum]] The Vindolanda site museum conserves and displays finds from the site. Exhibits include Roman boots, shoes, [[armour]], [[jewellery]] and coins, and infra-red photographs of the writing tablets. A spectacular find in 2006 was the richly detailed bronze and silver brooch ([[Fibulae and ancient brooches|fibula]]) modeled with the figure of Mars, on which Quintus Sollonius, a Gaul to judge by his name, had carefully punched his name before he lost it in the early second century; nothing comparably fine has been recovered along the Wall.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/4990240.stm BBC News, "Brooch casts light on Roman Wall" 17 May 2006] Retrieved 11 August 2007</ref> The museum is set in gardens, which include full-sized reconstructions of a [[Roman temple]], a Roman shop, Roman house and [[Northumbria]]n croft, all with audio presentations. ==Vindolanda Trust== In 1970, the Vindolanda Trust, a registered charity, was founded to administer the site and its museum, and in 1997, the Trust took over the running of the Roman Army Museum at [[Magnis (Carvoran)|Carvoran]], another Hadrian's Wall fort, which it had acquired in 1972. Current [[trustee]]s include the Rt Hon Dr [[David Clark, Baron Clark of Windermere]]. ==References== {{reflist|2}} ==See also== *[[Vindolanda tablets]] *[[History of Northumberland]] *[[Minimus]], Latin textbooks for primary-school children, using stories based in Vindolanda ==Further reading== * [[Robin Birley (archaeologist)|Birley, R.]], ''Vindolanda : a Roman frontier post on Hadrian's Wall'', London: Thames and Hudson, (1977) ==External links== * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/vindolanda_01.shtml/ BBC page on Vindolanda] [[Category:History of Northumberland]] [[Category:Roman forts in England]] [[de:Vindolanda]] [[fr:Vindolanda]] [[nl:Vindolanda]] [[pl:Vindolanda]]