This art sculpture in the form of a ‘fire ball’ pays tribute to the work of archaeologist Robin Birley, who directed the Vindolanda Trust and excavations from 1970-2001, and to celebrate his incredible find, in 1992, of over 350 Roman ink on wood writing tablets (letters) on a Roman bonfire site here at Vindolanda
The Roman cohort of the 9th Batavians had been burning their commanding officer’s correspondence before they left Vindolanda in AD 105. The bonfire had been lit but abandoned after a rain shower meaning that most of the tablets were singed but otherwise survived to illuminate our understanding of life on the Roman frontier.
The fire ball was designed and created for the Vindolanda Trust by Andy Gage and depicts cursive Roman writing from the tablets. The fire ball will be ceremoniously lit every year to commemorate the discovery of what is considered ‘Britain’s Top Treasure’.*
In the background is a replica of a Roman temple.
*From a signboard next to the sculpture
goodness gracious great balls of fire!!…
a song from back in the sixties Cherie…
i really enjoyed your description of how Robin Birley created this sculpture was wonderful… thank you….peter:)
I remember that song
WOW! What a find that must have been! I love stories like this, Cherry.
I think the archaeologists that uncovered the find must have though they had gone to heaven
What an appropriate commemoration, Cherie. How odd – today I have Earth Balls on Shutterchance!
It interesting that we both had posts on different types of balls. I think it is what I refer to as one of my ’strange coincidences’
I have enjoyed these posts about Vindolanda with your lovely photos. You’ve reminded me that I must organise a holiday to this area soon. There’s so much to see with so much history. The tablets were a wonderful find and the fire ball sculpture to mark this looks terrific.
I think you would enjoy a visit to the area. It is so peaceful and there are many photo opportunities
One of the places we like to visit when we are in the area is Chain Bridge Honey Farm
https://www.chainbridgehoney.com/visitor-centre/
and the nearby Chain Bridge from where the honey farm got its name
http://www.cheriesplace.me.uk/blog/index.php/2011/08/25/the-union-chain-bridge/
sadly we ran out of time on our recent trip and were not able to visit them.
Brickwork to the temple looks a bit too new to me!?
It would do, it is a reconstruction next to the museum