Carlisle’s Millenium Project

In the late summer I decided to have a day out visiting the new Roman Frontier Gallery in Carlisle’s Tullie House Museum.

This was set up following the very succesful Millenium excavation near to the Museum and the Castle,thousands of aretefacts being unearthed, only a smaal fraction of which can be displayed at anyone time.

Probably the most significant and indeed the smallest find has pride of place near to the entrance, it is a small wooden stylus strip with the letters BRITANIA possibly part of the address on a letter, it could be the first known use of that name in writing.

A large item which attracts attention is an eight man ridge tent of the type used when on the move to other camps. It is made up of small goat skin panels, some of which were found during the dig. Being lightweight it was easier to transport.

The priceless exhibit is a fearsome – looking parade helmet, on loan from Holland and similar to that found not long ago at Crosby Garrett and sold recently to a private collector for £2.3 million. This, with the ‘lobster plate’ articulated armour unearthed ,would serve to impress the local population on ceremonial occasions.

Carlisle was the only place in the north permitted to appoint it’s own council (cervitas); it is known that goods from all over the Roman world were on sale there. It is also one of the few places in Britain of which the Roman name is known for certain- Lugavulium Cavetiorum.

The gallery has rightly received much acclamation and is well wort a visit as are the other galleries in this excellent museum.

Written by Stuart Black October 2011