Birdoswald cemetery excavated before slips into river

Sep 18 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

AN ancient cliffside cemetery is being excavated by archaeologists – before it slips into a river valley.

The dig by Newcastle University and English Heritage is the first systematic excavation of a cemetery on Hadrian’s Wall.

The operation, at Birdoswald Roman fort near Gilsland on the Notthumberland-Cumbria border, will continue until October 16.

The fort and its civilian settlement are perched above the River Irthing with sweeping views down to its valley.

Forming part of the Wall world heritage site, the Roman cemetery is situated on the cliff edge.

It is under serious threat from erosion, which has accelerated over the last few years.

Investigative work has revealed that erosion is being caused by a combination of the river at the base of the cliff and water and frost action on the boulder clay at the top. Excavation is therefore the only way to avoid the loss of the delicate archaeology of the extensive cemetery. It is hoped the dig will reveal information about the make-up and lives of the fort garrison and the civilians who clustered around its walls.

A trench 150 metres long has been opened up.

Tony Wilmot, English Heritage archaeologist and project manager for the excavation said: “Although the loss of archaeology through erosion is regrettable it has given us a unique opportunity to examine a large area of a Roman military cemetery, a type of site which is very little explored and poorly understood.

“The civilian settlement was enormous and there was a garrison of around 1,000 men at the fort for over 250 years. That’s a lot of people.” Professor Ian Haynes, Chair of Archaeology at Newcastle University who is also at the dig, said: “We know from earlier discoveries in and around the fort site that Birdoswald had a very cosmopolitan population during the Roman period.

“A fragmentary tombstone records a soldier from Africa, while the regiment in garrison was originally raised in or around Transylvania in Romania.

“We hope to learn more about this exotic mix of soldiers, their families and followers through the excavations.”