Archaeologists digging at a cricket club in Cumbria, England, have unearthed a small Roman bronze charm shaped like a penis, believed to date back around 1,800 years.
The object was found during excavations at Carlisle Cricket Club, where researchers have been working since 2017 on what is thought to be the site of a Roman bathhouse. Measuring only 3cm (1.2in) long, the artefact is believed to have been carried as a symbol of protection and good fortune.
Frank Giecco, director of the excavation, said the find stood out because of both its craftsmanship and its rarity on the site.
“It’s our first little phallus, it’s tiny, it’s bout 3cm (1.2in), but beautifully made in bronze,” Giecco said.
Roman phallic symbols were common across the empire and were often linked to luck, fertility and protection from bad spirits. Similar items have previously been discovered attached to jewellery, belts and household objects. Some were even carved into walls or roadsides.
“The Romans were extremely superstitious,” Giecco said. “The phallus was intended to be “a good luck charm”.
The excavation at Carlisle Cricket Club has already produced a large number of finds over the past several years. Archaeologists and volunteers have uncovered pottery fragments, carved stone heads and pieces of Roman pillars, along with objects from later periods of British history.
Despite the quantity of material recovered, Giecco said the team had not expected to go so long without finding a phallic object.
“It’s unusual we haven’t found one before because the site is so rich in other types of objects,” he said. “It’s a beautiful little artefact.”
Carlisle, known during the Roman period as Luguvalium, was an important settlement near Hadrian’s Wall and served as a military and trading centre on the empire’s northern frontier. Archaeologists believe the area beneath the cricket club may have formed part of a larger Roman complex connected to bathing and social activity.
The bronze charm is small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of a hand, but archaeologists say objects like it can reveal a great deal about ordinary life in Roman Britain. Unlike weapons or building remains, personal items often give clues about beliefs, habits and everyday fears.
Giecco said the discovery offered “a fantastic insight into the minds of people who lived in Carlisle 1,800 years ago”.
The dig relies heavily on volunteers, many of whom return each year to work on the project. According to Giecco, the excitement of uncovering objects that have remained buried for centuries continues to drive interest in the excavation.
“All of us give up huge amounts of time for this project to make it work,” he said. “The joy of pulling a bit of pot out of the ground that hasn’t been touched for years is incredible.”
Thousands of items have been uncovered at the site since work began, including finds dating from the Bronze Age, the English Civil War and the Edwardian period. Archaeologists believe there is still much more to uncover beneath the ground.
The newly discovered artefacts are now on display at the Tullie Museum and Art Gallery, where visitors can see the bronze charm alongside other objects recovered during the excavation.
Header Image Credit : Pete Savin
Sources : BBC