Archaeologists have placed new finds from the Carlisle Cricket Club excavations on display at Tullie Museum, including a soldier's bronze diploma and a collection of glass beads from across the Roman world. The diploma—no larger than a credit card—granted citizenship after 25 years' service and was found in a burnt decorative box among the remains of a Roman temple. Excavations, running since 2017, involve local volunteers and have uncovered thousands of artefacts from periods spanning the Bronze Age to the Edwardian era.
Burnt Bronze Diploma and Far-Flung Beads: New Roman Finds On Display At Tullie Museum
This diploma would have granted the soldier Roman citizenship, the site director said [Anna Giecco]
Unearthing personal possessions from Roman Carlisle has given archaeologists—and local volunteers—a tangible link to individuals who lived almost two millennia ago. New discoveries from the Carlisle Cricket Club excavations are now on display at Tullie Museum, including a soldier's bronze diploma and a striking collection of glass beads described as coming "from the four corners of the Roman world."
Volunteers help carry out excavations at the Carlisle Cricket site [Stuart Walker Photography]
A Soldier's Diploma: Citizenship In Bronze
Site director Frank Giecco described the diploma as "not much larger than a credit card" with minute lines of writing incised into the bronze. The certificate granted the soldier Roman citizenship after 25 years' service and extended that status to his family and descendants.
The bronze lockbox and its handle were damaged in a fire [Anna Giecco]
"This little bronze plaque was really important to the person who was issued with it," Giecco said. "It just makes the hair stand on the back of your neck."
Uniquely, the diploma was recovered inside a decorative box fitted with an elaborate bronze lock; both the box and the plaque were burned and coated in charcoal when found among the remains of a Roman temple. Conservators will display the plaque and the box together so visitors can see the object in its archaeological context.
The collection of ancient beads from the Carlisle site will be displayed for the first time [Anna Giecco]
Broader Finds And Community Involvement
Excavations at the cricket club began in 2017 and continue with annual seasons of digging and post-excavation analysis. Thousands of objects have been recovered from the site, spanning the Bronze Age, Roman period, the English Civil War and the Edwardian era. Many local volunteers take part each year, and several have seen items they personally uncovered go on public display.
The new Tullie showcase is being staged alongside the British Museum's touring "Gladiators of Britain" exhibition. Sarah McGlynn, Tullie's exhibitions manager, noted that displaying finds "fresh from the ground" encourages lively discussion and gives visitors—many of whom volunteered on the dig—a strong sense of ownership over the discoveries.
What To See
Visitors to Tullie can view:
- The bronze military diploma and its burnt decorative box with bronze lock
- A collection of glass beads tracing trade and movement across the Roman world
- Other artefacts recovered from successive periods of Carlisle's long history
These finds emphasize how personal objects can create a powerful emotional connection to the people who once used them, while also contributing to scholarly understanding of Carlisle's multi-period past.
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