Rare Roman discovery found in Carlisle

A rare archaeological object, thought to be the only one of its type in the Roman Empire, has been discovered in Carlisle.

A lump of a soft mysterious purple substance was discovered in the drains at a Roman Bathhouse, within the grounds of Carlisle Cricket Club, during the 2023 excavation by archaeologists and volunteers.

Roman Imperial Purple, also called Tyrian Purple, is a paint pigment made from thousands of crushed seashells from the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa.

It was phenomenally difficult to make, and was worth up to three times more than gold.

Frank Giecco, Technical Director at Wardell Armstrong, said: “It’s the only example we know of in Northern Europe - possibly the only example of a solid sample of the pigment in the fort of unused paint pigment anywhere in the Roman Empire.

“For millennia, Tyrian Purple was the world’s most expensive and sought after colour.

"It’s presence in Carlisle combined with other evidence from the excavation all strengthens the hypothesis that the building was in some way associated with the Imperial Court of the Emperor Septimius Severus which was located in York and possibly relates to a Imperial visit to Carlisle.

Other examples of Tyrian Purple have been found of it in wall paintings, like in Pompeii and also some high status painted coffins from the Roman province of Egypt.

The bathhouse is the largest known building on Hadrian’s Wall, with over 2,800 significant finds.

Thousands of volunteers have taken part in the award-winning community archaeological dig, Uncovering Roman Carlisle (URC), since it started in 2021.

The dig is set to return to Carlisle’s Roman Bathhouse this year to discover more of the remaining mysteries of the site.

It will take place at Carlisle Cricket Club between Saturday 11 May and Saturday 15 June 2024.

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