The digging work at Vindolanda is an ongoing process.It must be remembered that the fort area has building remains from the Flavian period onwards, with continuous evidence of construction and rebuilding through a very active Severan usage onto the time of Constantine and beyond. So Flavius Cerealis' burning of the Vindolanda tablets is a very early episode in pre-Hadrianic years (97-105 AD). Five wooden forts and two stone ones occupied the site (in various positions ) until a wholesale rebuild in 213 for the incoming Fourth Cohort of Gauls,.

My gallery images show the pre-hadrianic baths and a modern rebuild of the original turf wall as much of Hadrian's Wall was originally planned . Vindolanda sits about a half mile below (Stanegate road) whereas the Wall and Vercovicium are a half mile above the road. So Vindolanda is not on the Wall but nearby.

We have images of the Severan occupation and later civilian ruins outside the fort perimeter .

Notably we see new work on the site of one of the original Flavian Forts lying a little way to the SW of the later stone buildings. I also indicate the site of Flavius' bonfire.Other images are self explanatory, the sub-floor construction of heated rooms and the layout of granary foundations for ventilation and dryness.

There is an image to show the relative position of the Forts and several of the Wall itself and the spectacular scenery.Vercovicium is a much more exposed site , quite what the Frisian auxiliaries thought of the wind in this area I cant imagine.

The Wall itself has a long history of use, abandonment and re-occupation Salway is the best general academic contextual work (Oxford History of Roman Britain).The physical structure varied in material type and nature-in some remote spots-steel rigg (which I will show) the natural features alone are fearsome enough to deter assault. I did a short 5 mile walk on the day I took the shots -and it was no picnic!

I have been fortunate to visit the Wall, Pompeii (and related sites) and Thebes. The graffiti at all three sites is the one thing that makes you root yourself in the past for a few moments, the Valley of the Kings was very dissapointing a treadmill of miserable, over heated tourists who looked like they knew they "should" be there but didnt know why-I saw Roman tourist graffiti and it was the most real thing about the whole experience. What an Empire-I havent had the good fortune to go to Leptis Magna or Palmyra-what distances they covered!

ive posted a number of images to start, more to follow.Not everything I mention here has arrived on site yet.WE will also see some interesting "loaded dice" and re-produced fabrics and tools.

I am aware that many members are non-brittanic , so if there is any confusion regarding locality I will post maps if required.