Genius uncovered

Press Release: 11th July 2026 

Hidden Roman Guardian Emerges After 1,600 Years in Remarkable Vindolanda Discovery 

A beautifully preserved Roman relief depicting a protective guardian spirit has been discovered at Vindolanda after lying hidden beneath a barrack floor for more than 1,600 years. Unearthed by the third generation of archaeologists from the Birley family to excavate the site, the discovery is both a remarkable archaeological find and a poignant milestone in the history of one of Britain's most celebrated Roman sites. 

Some archaeological discoveries are measured by their scientific importance. Others are remembered for the moment they emerge from the ground. The discovery of a carved Roman Genius at Vindolanda is both. 

On 16 June 2026, Dr Andrew Birley, Director of Excavations at Vindolanda, was excavating a fourth-century barrack building when an unusually rounded flagstone caught his attention. Kneeling to investigate, he carefully turned the stone over and was met with the face of a finely carved Roman figure, untouched since it had been deliberately buried beneath the barrack floor more than 1,600 years ago. 

Carved stone depicting a Genius in situ.

The relief, exquisitely preserved by its burial, is believed to have once formed part of a domestic shrine, where it would have represented a Genius – the protective spirit of a household or place, invoked by the Romans to bring security, prosperity and good fortune. 

The moment carried a special significance. While many of Vindolanda's extraordinary discoveries are made by the hundreds of volunteers who excavate at the site each year, this remarkable find was made by Dr Birley himself, the third generation of his family to dedicate his career to uncovering Vindolanda's past. His grandfather, Professor Eric Birley, first established excavations at Vindolanda in the 1930s, while his father, Robin Birley, transformed understanding of the site through decades of pioneering archaeological work. Three generations later, it was Andrew who revealed one of the site's most evocative discoveries. 

Dr Andrew Birley said: 

"I have been fortunate enough to have worked at the site for many years and made some wonderful discoveries along the way, but I was completely unprepared for what I found on the other side of this stone. It was an extraordinary moment, one that we were able to share with the team of archaeologists and volunteers whose hard work makes discoveries like this possible. 

"My first thought was simply, 'Who on earth am I looking at?' Thankfully, Hadrian's Wall is home to an incredible community of generous and knowledgeable scholars. After sending photographs to Lindsay Allason-Jones, Dr Fraser Hunter and Alex Rome-Griffin, the unanimous response came back within hours: we had uncovered a previously unknown relief of a Genius – the protective spirit of a place." 

The relief depicts the Genius holding a cornucopia, symbolising abundance and prosperity, in one hand, and a patera, the shallow dish used in ritual offerings, in the other. Archaeologists believe it was carved locally, either by a mason working at Vindolanda itself or perhaps by a sculptor from a regional carving workshop or tradition, such as the nearby Roman fort of Lanchester in County Durham. 

Dr Andrew Birley with carved sandstone depicting a Genius

While inscriptions dedicated to a Genius are relatively common across Roman Britain, reflecting the widespread worship of these protective spirits, surviving carved stone reliefs are comparatively rare. The Vindolanda discovery therefore represents an important addition to the corpus of Romano-British sculpture, providing a rare opportunity to study both the iconography of a Genius and its archaeological context. 

Reflecting on the discovery, Dr Birley added: 

"Once we knew who we had found, it somehow felt entirely appropriate. It was almost as though Vindolanda itself had reached out to the team and quietly said, 'We approve of what you are doing.' As archaeologists, moments like these are incredibly rare, and we feel privileged to have uncovered and preserved such an important part of the site's story." 

Buried beneath the floor of a fourth-century barrack block for more than sixteen centuries, the relief offers fresh insight into the religious beliefs of the soldiers and families who lived at Vindolanda during the closing centuries of Roman Britain. Its exceptional state of preservation and secure archaeological context make it one of the most significant religious stone carvings to be discovered at the site in recent years. 

The sculpture is now undergoing conservation and detailed study before going on public display in the on site museum, allowing visitors to come face to face with a guardian that has watched silently over Vindolanda for more than sixteen centuries. 

~ends~ 

Notes to Editors 

About the Discovery 

• Discovered on 16 June 2026 during the 2026 excavation season. 

• Material: Sandstone. Dimensions: height-44cm, width-23cm, depth-8cm

• Found beneath the floor of a fourth-century barrack building. 

• Hidden and preserved for more than 1,600 years. 

• Depicts a Roman Genius holding a cornucopia and a patera. 

• Believed to have originated in a domestic shrine before being reused as building material during later construction. 

• While inscriptions dedicated to a Genius are common in Roman Britain, carved stone reliefs are comparatively rare. 

About Roman Vindolanda 

Vindolanda is one of Europe's most important Roman archaeological sites, located just south of Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland. Occupied from the late first century AD until the early fifth century, the site has yielded internationally significant discoveries including the Vindolanda Writing Tablets, leather shoes, textiles, wooden artefacts and thousands of everyday objects that have transformed understanding of life on Rome's northern frontier. 

Excavations continue annually under the direction of the Vindolanda Trust, with professional archaeologists working alongside hundreds of volunteers from around the world. 

All images (c) The Vindolanda Trust

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