Mystery horseman carving found



Archaeologists are trying to identify the naked horseman carving as there was no inscription

Archaeologists are trying to identify a mystery carving of a naked horseman dug up at a Roman fort.

The sandstone altar of a man holding a spear on either a donkey or a horse was found by two volunteers at Vindolanda, near Hexham, Northumberland.

It was found intact near a 4th Century cavalry barrack and it is believed to depict either the Gods Mars or Mercury, although there is no inscription.

The artefact will be on display at the fort's museum from Thursday.

It was unearthed by volunteers Richie Milor and David Goldwater who have taken part in annual digs at the fort for the past 15 years

Site archaeologist Marta Alberti is now piecing together clues to try to establish who the carving represents.

Ms Alberti said: "We are looking at something we have never seen at Vindolanda before and we might not see again.

"The nakedness of the man means he is probably a god, rather than a mere cavalryman, 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 Mercury - god of travel.

"Horses and donkeys are also often associated with Mercury as a protector of travellers."

The Vindolanda Survival Appeal has so far raised £130,000 of a £200,000 target

The carving - which measures 6.2in (160mm) wide and 12.4in (315mm) tall - is very well preserved, Ms Alberti said.

It was unearthed by volunteers Richie Milor and David Goldwater who have taken part in annual digs at the fort for the past 15 years.

Mr Milor said: "We are just absolutely elated, very proud to be part of this discovery, it was actually very emotional.

"Whether you find something or not we love coming to this site, playing our small part in the research that takes place, but finding this made it a very special day indeed."

Due to the pandemic Vindolanda had to close for many months and furlough staff.

It has is so far raised more than £130,000 of a target £200,000 as part of its Survival Appeal.

The excavations at Vindolanda will continue until 24 September.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This photograph captures one of the last moments of this woman’s life.

Image
Cheng Benhua was a resistance fighter who gave her life defending her home country of China against the Japanese Imperial Army.  She has become a symbol of bravery in the face of death and unspeakable abuse.  Not long before striking this defiant pose, Cheng Benhua was repeatedly abused by her Japanese captors.  Despite the awareness that she would soon be killed, she still managed to put on a devious smile that made it seem like she was taunting the soldiers around her. Cheng Benhua's unwavering courage in the face of death has become an iconic representation of fearless resistance. A photograph, taken by a Japanese photographer shortly before she was fatally wounded in 1938, captures her unyielding spirit.  Not long before striking this defiant pose, Cheng Benhua was repeatedly abused and raped by her Japanese captors.  Despite enduring severe mistreatment at the hands of her captors, she appears to smile as she faces death, with her
Read more

American soldiers execute SS camp guards who have been lined up against a wall during the liberation of Dachau concentration camp.

Image
Following the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp, American troops felt an urge to personally punish the camp's guards. What exactly transpired still isn't known. Dachau concentration camp, located in the state of Bavaria, Germany, was the first concentration camp established by the Nazi regime. On April 29, 1945, Dachau was liberated by the U.S seventh Army’s 45th Infantry Division. Corpses of prisoners in the Dachau death trains. 1945. But it wasn’t just liberated. Reports indicated that, appalled by what they saw, members of the U.S army were driven to take revenge. They allegedly murdered the SS officers and guards who were responsible for the Holocaust horrors that took place at Dachau. The troops arrived at the Dachau concentration camp in the afternoon. They were on their way to Munich which was just over ten miles from Dachau. Though the troops passed through Dachau, it wasn’t initially a part of the attack zones they were headed for.
Read more

A U.S. marine gives a cigarette to an injured Japanese soldier, buried in the sand at the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945.

Image
A U.S. marine gives a cigarette to an injured Japanese soldier, buried in the sand at the battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. Equipped with a grenade, the soldier lay in ambush for 36 hours. Marines spotted him concealed in the dark sand and managed to dislodge the grenade out of his reach. Although he surrendered, the cautious Marines suspected potential booby traps and approached carefully. At his request, he was given a cigarette, and thereafter, they cautiously removed him from the shell hole. The 3rd and 4th Marine Divisions broke up the remaining organized resistance on March 16, 1945, the same day this photo was taken. Occasionally individual enemy soldiers armed with demolition charges and grenades raced out against tanks or groups of Marines but were shot down before they could do any great damage to personnel or equipment. Isolated pockets, totaling some 3,000 enemy soldiers, remained around the island. US V Amphibious Corps Command declared Iwo Jima secure at 1800
Read more