Mon, 28 Jun 2021 21:01 UTC
Archaeologists search for clues to identify a mystery horseman after carved relief uncovered at Roman Vindolanda, Hadrian s Wall.
A beautifully carved sandstone relief which depicts a naked male figure holding a spear stood in front of a horse/donkey has been uncovered during the annual excavations at the Roman fort of Vindolanda near Hadrian s Wall in Northumberland. The complete stone measuring 160mm by 315mm would have originally been fitted into a recess.
The stone was uncovered on 20th May, only inches under the topsoil by two Vindolanda volunteers from Newcastle, who have both been making their annual pilgrimage to assist with the excavations for over 15 years. Richie Milor and David Goldwater had been assigned to uncover a flagged floor inside a 4th century building of the ancient fort. They quickly realised the rugged stone that lay face up amongst the larger smooth flag was something special. David noted that I saw one of the legs of the horse
Díszes domborművet találtak a Hadrianus falához közeli római erődben
origo.hu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from origo.hu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Mysterious carving of naked man discovered near Hadrian s Wall
livescience.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from livescience.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The sandstone relief contains no inscription and is not similar to any other items found at the site. This makes it impossible to positively identify the individual in the image.
“The nakedness of the man means he is probably a god, rather than a mere cavalryman,” suggested archaeologist Marta Alberti, who works full-time supervising the ongoing excavations at Vindolanda.
“He is also carrying a spear in his left arm, a common attribute of the god of War – Mars. However, when you look at his head, the two almost circular features could be identified as wings: a common attribute of
– god of travel. Horses and donkeys are also often associated with Mercury as a protector of travelers.”
Newcastle volunteers find Roman carving of man with a horse during excavations at Vindolanda
chroniclelive.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chroniclelive.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.