The in-person event is now sold out but will be available to watch via Zoom – click here to join the stream.

Meeting ID: 840 3292 2524

Passcode: 290310

A fascinating and exciting dive into a day of talks from a variety of speakers who work and live along the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage Site. Talks will cover topics such as; volunteering in archaeology across the ages, the recent excavations of Roman Bathhouses on Hadrian’s Wall, the archaeology of museum collections, and recent exciting discoveries. The talks are coinciding with the “Digging Deeper” temporary exhibition of the recent internationally significant finds from Carlisle’s Roman Bathhouse at Tullie.

Session One: “The baths conceal so many secret joys” Ovid. Amores. III.XV.

Roman Settlements and Bathhouses on the Frontier.

9.30-11am

Join senior archaeologists Frank Giecco (Wardell Armstrong) and Tony Wilmott (Historic England) to hear about the discoveries from the recent excavations of the Roman frontier bathhouses at Birdoswald Roman Fort and Carlisle Cricket Club on Hadrian’s Wall. Then discover the Roman Frontier settlement of Carlisle with Dr Matthew Hobson (Wardell Armstrong).

Chair: Nick Henderson (Cumberland Council)

9.30am Frank Giecco (Wardell Armstrong). The Roman Bathhouse at Carlisle Cricket Club: A Community Excavation Project.

10am Dr Matthew Hobson (Wardell Armstrong). Two richly furnished early 2^nd-century cremation burials from Carlisle.

10.30am Dr Tony Willmott (Historic England). The Frontier Bathhouse at Birdoswald Roman Fort.

Break Out and Refreshments

11am: Refreshments in the adjacent function room in Old Tullie – The Uncovering Roman Carlisle Touring Exhibition from 2022 will be available to view.

Session Two: “Lest the dry gum and wax should sticking prove…” Ovid. Elegy XV.

The Carlisle Gems, and the Archaeology of Collections

11.30am-12.30pm                                                                

Archaeology doesn’t stop at excavation. In this session you will discover more about the artefacts, their meaning, and their life after discovery.

Dr Martin Hennig (Research Associate, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford) will discuss the fascinating and internationally famous Carlisle Gems, and the school of engravers who produced them. Stephen Wadeson (Independent Research Associate) will delve into the world of Roman pottery discovered as part of the most recent excavations of Carlisle’s Roman Bathhouse. Elsa Price (Tullie) will show the role of museum archaeology, and the exciting opportunities and unknown challenges of caring for our country’s public archaeology collections.

Chair: Frank Giecco (Wardell Armstrong)

11.30am: Rev Dr Martin Hennig (Oxford University). Carlisle School of Engravers.

12.05pm: Stephen Wadeson (Independent Research Associate). Samian Ware from Carlisle Collections.

12.30pm: Elsa Price (Tullie). Museum Archaeology: Exploring its challenges and opportunities?

1-2pm: Lunch

Session Three: The Diggers: Volunteer voices and Archaeology on Hadrian’s Wall.

“It is only by abundance of helpers that the many activities involved in an extensive excavation can be adequately provided…” WH Knowles (Archaeologist at the 1909 Corbridge Excavations.)

2-4.15pm (Including short break)  

In this session our speakers will share their experiences as volunteers from across Hadrian’s Wall archaeology projects (Hadrian’s Wall Community Archaeology Project: WallCAP and Uncovering Roman Carlisle). They will discuss and share the important work and research which they have achieved in recent excavations, and you will hear from the people who have excavated Hadrian’s Wall through time.

Chair: Dr Matthew Hobson (Wardell Armstrong)

2pm: Dr Frances Macintosh (English Heritage). The Edwardian Excavators of Corbridge.

2.25pm: Kerry Shaw (Hadrian’s Wall Partnership). The Volunteers of WallCAP: Hadrian’s Wall Community Archaeology Project. 

2.50pm: Dr Jan Mather and Dr Ollie Mather (URC Project Volunteers). Stone Sourcing and Dispersal at Carlisle’s Roman Bathhouse

3.15pm: Short Break.

3.30pm: A video presentation by Neil Redfern, Executive Director, and Company Secretary of the Council for British Archeology; #Walking and Talking Your Way – Hadrian’s Wall.

3.50pm: Joint Presentation; Nick Henderson (Cumberland Council) and Declan Burton (URC Volunteer) and. Finding a Community While Excavating Our Ancestors.

4.15pm: Conclusion and End.