Carlisle (Luguvalium): Roman finds appear in first day of new excavation

Carlisle (ancient Luguvalium): first Roman finds in inaugural excavation

Excavation start date: 19 April 2026. During the opening day teams uncovered features and the first coins that help clarify life in the vicus linked to the fort.

• Key finds: a silver denarius attributed to Vespasian and a bronze sestertius attributed to Hadrian.
• Investigation area: fields of the Carlisle Cricket Club, around the Jimmy Little Pavilion, south of the Roman road and near a large building identified in previous campaigns.
• Project lead: excavation directed by archaeologist Frank Giecco with participation from local volunteers.

The coins, pending detailed study, indicate two significant phases: the denarius points to the fort's early decades (Vespasian's reign, 69–79 AD), while the sestertius aligns with the Hadrianic period and the construction of the Wall.

Fieldwork aims to determine the function of a large building adjacent to the vicus: preliminary hypotheses include a public or religious structure, but further trenching and stratigraphic analysis are required to confirm its use.

Historical context and significance: Luguvalium (modern Carlisle) occupied a strategic position on Rome's northern frontier, serving as a logistics and supply hub for forts and for the Hadrianic frontier system. New evidence contributes to understanding the relationship between civilian settlements (vici) and military sites, and to reconstructing local urban and military development.

Next steps: expanded excavation, specialist surveys, cataloguing and metallurgical study of the coins, absolute dating and conservation measures. Preliminary results will be integrated with earlier campaign data to produce a fuller interpretation of the site.