![]() Source: Anna Giecco// Wardell ArmstrongĪt Ancient Origins, we believe that one of the most important fields of knowledge we can pursue as human beings is our beginnings. Top image: Three of the Roman intaglios, engraved semi-precious stones discovered by archaeologists near Hadrian’s Wall. While excavations are slated to continue into the next year, what can be gleaned so far is a monumental and opulent bathhouse complex, which paints a picture of the lives of the Roman elite, in the empire’s heyday. The intaglios were lost in the heated waters during their visits and then flushed into the drains during cleaning, reports Heritage Daily. The bath house served as a recreational and bathing area for soldiers, including high-ranking military officials and Roman elites. Previous excavations at the bath house have uncovered several rooms, including a hypocaust system, intact floors, painted tiles, and terracotta water pipes, as well as fragments of cooking pots. I imagine that the gems recovered from the drain were accumulated over time, and we must remember that a lot of people used those baths.” If the stone is not properly secured, it can fall out, as it can today with people bathing. Professor Martin Henig, an expert on Roman art at the University of Oxford, said: The very act of engraving on such a small surface suggests a level of craftsmanship far ahead of its time. Unlikely to be worn by the poor, the intaglios are miniscule, some at 5 mm, with 16 mm the largest. Giecco further explained that gems like these intaglios were never found at Roman sites associated with people from a lower-status. The team has been conducting a community supported excavation at the Carlisle Cricket Club, supported by archaeologists from Wardell Armstrong. The finds are part of the Uncovering Roman Carlisle project, underway since 2017 after the discovery of a 3rd century Roman bathhouse. (Anna Giecco/ Wardell Armstrong ) Uncovering Roman Carlisle: An Exercise in Intricate Excavations The Sinister Roman Cavalry Helmet of the Ribchester HoardĪ selection of the intaglios found at the Carlisle Cricket Club site.The Mighty Wall of Hadrian, Emperor of Rome. ![]() Uxelodunum, meaning "high fort," was built to control the western territories near present-day Carlisle and the strategic River Eden crossing. The bath house is located near the Roman fort of Uxelodunum, also known as Petriana, in modern-day Stanwix, Carlisle. Hadrian’s Wall served as the northern frontier of the empire, holding an elite cavalry unit, and links to the imperial court. This suggested that the Roman elite lived near Hadrian’s Wall and the fort of Lugavalium, a short distance away from Carlisle Castle. (David Dixon / CC BY-SA 2.0 )Īlong with the intaglios, 40 women’s hairpins, 35 glass beads, a clay Venus figure, animal bones, and imperial-stamped tiles were also discovered. The Great Bath, at Roman baths at Bath, England is a pool with hot, steaming spa water. ![]() Ancient Spas: The Lifegiving Power of Water and the Gods. ![]()
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