Rare Roman objects once buried beneath layers of mud in the River Tyne, unearthed by two divers and amateur archaeologists, will go on display for the first time in a new exhibition at Corbridge Roman Town in Northumberland. Discovered near the remains of a Roman bridge once used as a crossing to the town, the objects (which include a gladiator knife handle, a scabbard slide for a sword, a buckle, a mount in the shape of a panther, and a number of coins) will form Roman Rivers & Rituals – a new exhibition at the Hadrian’s Wall site exploring the Roman fascination with running water, appeasing the gods, and good luck. The exhibition opened on Friday 27 March.

Water has played an important role in religion for millennia, long before the Romans came to Britain, but with the Empire’s manpower in building and construction came an element of triumph over the natural world. Paths once treacherous were made accessible by roads, roaring river crossings tamed by strong bridges. But if the Romans thought themselves superior to most civilisations, there was one force of which they were mindful to remain humble: the gods. In Roman religion, the gods could make or break your fortune, and you overlooked their power at your peril. Running water was also seen as especially important in spiritual matters and rivers were seen as boundaries. Crossing a river marked an important stage of a journey, but bridges crossing rivers could offend the gods.

Frances McIntosh, Curator at Corbridge Roman Town, said

“Offerings to the gods were often made during the construction and use of a bridge. The belief was that if you wanted protection and grace from the gods, you needed to offer something in exchange. These items were chosen very deliberately and were often something that was of specific value to the person crossing or particularly relevant to the god or request they were making. They could be everyday items such as coins or brooches, or more precious items made specifically as offerings, like figurines or miniature versions of weaponry. Visitors to Corbridge will really get a sense of this variety when they see a handful of these offerings, discovered below the water near the ancient remains of the Roman bridge, on display for the very first time.”

Dere Street, running from York, crossed the River Tyne at Corbridge and so a solid bridge was required to ensure reliable passage for this strategically important road. Arrival at, or departure from, Corbridge marked an important stage in a journey and so traders, soldiers and civilians using the bridge would likely have offered something to the god of the river, in exchange for a safe journey or in thanks for safely leaving the potentially dangerous frontier zone of Hadrian’s Wall. There they sat for thousands of years, just beneath the silt, lost to the passage of time… until the 1990s.

It was two divers and amateur archaeologists, Rolfe Mitchinson and Bob Middlemass, who unearthed these watery treasures during their investigations in the River Tyne. Diving in the murky waters, with eagle eyes searching below Roman Corbridge, the pair recorded the structural remains they found, including stone piers (upright structures which held the horizontal bridge in place), but also a number of offerings. Brooches, coins, weights, buckles; they surfaced with numerous finds, dating from the Roman era right through to the post-medieval period. These remarkable objects have now been donated to English Heritage and a selection will go on display at Corbridge.

Roman items on display for the first time include:

• Gladiator knife handle: in the form of a secutor, a heavily armoured gladiator, holding a large shield and wearing a crested helmet. His hand at the front of the shield would have held a sword. The gladiator depicted is left-handed, which was unlucky, and so unusual in the Roman period. The iron blade, now missing, would have folded up the gladiator’s back
• Copper alloy buckle plate: dating to 1st-2nd century AD
• Iron fetters (shackles): placed around the ankles and connected by a chain. Found by one of the stone piers of the Roman bridge, they are a stark reminder of the role slavery played in the Roman Empire. Could they have belonged to a slave recently freed?
• Panther mount: mount in the shape of a panther, from a vessel handle. It was probably part of a pair, with one on each handle
• Nail cleaner and toilet implement: these would have hung from a loop as part of a set
• Strap ends: Part of the military belt, they would have glittered and clinked as soldiers walked
• Phallic mount: the phallus was a symbol of protection
• Scabbard slides: used to attach the sword (in its scabbard) to the belt
• Roman coins: many of them very worn

Roman Rivers & Rituals opens at Corbridge Roman Town on Friday 27 March. Admission is included in entry.

Plan your visit to Corbridge Roman Town.

Gladiators: finds, fans and fame

Dr Frances Mcintosh and Dr Philippa Walton from the University of Leicester discuss gladiator memorabilia and the celebrity status of these icons in Roman Britain, with the aid of some amazing objects. The offerings made by Romans to the rivers at Piercebridge Roman Bridge and Corbridge Roman Town give us a snapshot into everyday lives, diverse beliefs and rituals.