Artist links symbols of the past to dangers of the present

TONY HENDERSON on an artist’s ambition to show what life was really like on the Romans’ frontier in Northumberland 2,000 years ago

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LIFE on the frontier of the Roman empire in Northumberland could be both tough and fraught with danger.

The garrison and civilian population living in and around Vindolanda fort deployed an array of symbols designed to offer protection and deliver good luck.

Now David Appleyard, Vindolanda’s 2025 artist in residence, has used these shields against misfortune to produce a display which links the symbols from the past with one of the dangers of today ~ climate change.

In an exercise titled Votum - a vow or a promise made to a god - David will use highly polished stainless steel shields to represent the Roman symbols at different parts of the fort site from October 17 to November 2.

Votum is part of the Vindolanda Trust's project The Land We Walk On, a three-year programme that invites artists to respond to the site’s collections and pioneering climate research at its Magna fort seven miles away.