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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,591 |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Got back this weekend after two weeks in the Lake District, great holiday. The second week I went to Vindolanda. I wish I had gone the first week and I could have gone for a second time the following week. What a mind blowing experience. If any of you guys (and gals) come over to the UK, please, please make time to visit, and make a day of it. If you can only afford the time to visit one site, make it the Vindolanda site. I have seen digs (on TV) where the highlight might be the recovery of a leather shoe. These guys have found six thousand. And they think there are more. There have been at least 9 forts on the site, and they were digging whilst I was there. Here is a link to the site http://www.vindolanda.com/and to keep it legal, here is a coin that they found http://www.vindolanda.com/_blog/pre...-vindolanda/And I also bought a book on Latin for beginners (for children really) which contains info on a website which helps with pronunciation. I have put a link in the sticky for books etc. |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
You folks in the UK are very lucky to have so many ancient sites there. I know if I lived there I would be exploring them all the time.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
It is a great place to visit, last time I was there they told me they still had 70 years of excavating to do. The Vindolanda Tablets were an amazing discovery, been to the BM to see them as sadly not many can be seen where they were found. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vindolanda_tablets |
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Pillar of the Community
 United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
They have a few of the tablets on display, but you can't really see the writing, I bought a book a couple of years ago which is much more helpful, but it is nice to see some of the actual tablets.
I had not realised that the forts were built by legionaries but manned by auxiliaries. I didn't realise that Latin was the language of the army and recruits were expected to learn it. And were beaten if they didn't learn fast enough! There is an awful lot that I didn't realise.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Ron, it is surprising (or perhaps not), when it is on your doorstep, you put things off, you can always go another day. We are back at the cottage in November, if the weather is good enough I will return!
If you want to be a volunteer digger, you have to be a "Friend of Vindolanda" (£25 but they refund your ticket), I signed up to be a Friend, but I suspect my knees are not up to the strains of digging (I wield a mean toothbrush though). The volunteer slots for diggers were all taken within 15 minutes of going on-line for 2015.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Maybe one day before I get to old I will visit the UK and check out these sites. Hadrian's wall is a place I've always wanted to visit.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Quote:
There is an awful lot that I didn't realise So many interesting facts when you get down to the 'nitty-gritty'. The tablet with the soldier writing home complaining about the weather and asking for new socks is great :) If you're ever in the area Birdoswald is a very impressive stretch of the Roman Wall, have a quick look around the fort then walk East following the wall, steep in places but some great sights and always quiet. I had no idea most of the troops on that stretch of the wall were from modern day Bulgaria / Romania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banna_(Birdoswald) |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Bobby, I have been to Birdoswald but I haven't done the walks (I am trying to get fitter), it is not far from where we stay in Kirkoswald.
Ron, the Vindolanda site is about a mile south of the Wall and pre-dates it. If you ever come to the UK, Vindolanda must be the first site of choice.
I could wax lyrical about it and fill pages and pages.......
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
One of our members (PaulBergin?) if memory serves actually dug Vindolanda.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2838 Posts |
Quote:
Bobby, I have been to Birdoswald but I haven't done the walks (I am trying to get fitter), it is not far from where we stay in Kirkoswald. It has a couple of descents and ascents that get the blood pumping but sure you would manage, my 70 year father did, just. What it does have is some of the best bits of wall I can remember seeing, numerous fortifications and milecastles, a river and a railway to cross, a house with a tree growing out of the roof and even copious amounts of blackberries if you go at the right time of year  |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Bobby, if I don't make it this year, I will make it next :)
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Pillar of the Community
1121 Posts |
'B' 'X' 'Y' 'Z' Romans.
Why didn't they make it to Australia? (I know. It's a long row and the Unions wanted 'distance' money.)
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Vindolanda is a fascinating site - ive not been yet, though.
There is a minor roman temple ruin not too far from where I live, but its supposedly no longer visible and the temple is now marked with concrete blocks showing its outline. There are some closer neolithic earth works though.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
Yes, I did have the privilege of serving as a volunteer excavator at Vindolanda for two weeks back in July 2010 during my pastoral sabbatical. My time at Vindolanda will always be one of the high points of my life. My family and I stayed at the Codley Gate Cottage just down the hill from the fort and right next to the museum. During my time there I had the fortune to find four Roman coins; a big sestertius or dupondius, perhaps of Trajan, a beat up Septimius Severus denarius, an antoninianus of Victorinus and a very nice centenionalis of Constans. That's about 240 year span of coins. The weather was awful, but the experience delightful! I'd love to go back. Here's a photo of me right after I found the big Roman bronze.  Paul Bulgerin
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
2010 was the year they found the child's body I believe. I bet that was a shock.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
very cool you guys and girls...yeah, I remember that pic you posted now PB.
totally jealous of you guys.
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,591 |
Posted 08/17/2015 6:00 pm
