Overview

• Veteran volunteers Jim and Dilys Quinlan uncovered the relief while excavating infantry barracks at Vindolanda, a Roman fort near Hadrian’s Wall.
• The carving, identified as the goddess Victory by Newcastle University’s Rob Collins, symbolizes military success after the Severan wars.
• Experts believe the relief was part of a larger ornamental arch that adorned the barracks, reflecting Roman military-religious symbolism.
• The Vindolanda Trust, which has hosted volunteer excavations since 1970, selects around 500 participants annually from thousands of applicants.
• The relief is undergoing pigment analysis and will be featured in a Vindolanda Museum exhibition of recent discoveries in early 2026.