Thousands of soldiers and their families lived along this 118 kilometer stone wall, which crosses England from the west coast to the east coast, marking the limit of the Roman Empire and forming the largest Roman archaeological complex in Britain.

They left behind wooden constructions, but also objects testifying to their daily life, which allow archaeologists to reconstruct the life of the Romans in this region swept by the winds.

Among these vestiges, the fort of Vindolanda, located about 53 kilometers west of the Roman colony of Pons Aelius, today Newcastle.

The ruins of the Roman fort at Vindolanda, one kilometer south of Hadrian's Wall, near Hexham, northern England, January 19, 2022 OLI SCARFF AFP/Archives

"Many of the landscapes of Hadrian's Wall are preserved under bogs and marshes - very wet soil, which has protected archeology for almost two millennia," said Andrew Birley, excavation manager and director general. of the Vindolanda Trust.

But this ecosystem is affected by global warming.

Soil heats up faster than air, hardening previously moist ground and letting oxygen in through cracks.

"When oxygen gets in there, really delicate things, which are made of leather, textiles, wooden objects, break, decay and are lost forever," Birley describes.

Part of Hadrian's Wall near Hexham, northern England, January 19, 2022 OLI SCARFF AFP/Archives

Threat to treasures

Over the years, stone and wooden structures, leather shoes and clothing, tools, weapons and even handwritten wooden tablets have emerged from around the wall, providing insight into life at the time. Roman.

Only about a quarter of the Vindolanda site has been excavated, and the fort is just one of 14 along Hadrian's Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and popular with enthusiasts. 'archeology.

A wall follows the original route of Hadrian's Wall, near Hexham, northern England, January 19, 2022 OLI SCARFF AFP/Archives

"All of this construction, all of this land behind me was underground. 50 years ago it was all under a farmer's field," says Mr Birley.

"Less than 1% of Hadrian's Wall has been explored by archaeologists," he said.

Behind him, dozens of Roman shoes whose owners were of all ages, genders and social strata are on display, constituting only a small sample of the approximately 5,500 leather goods found at the site.

Thanks to the peat soil, many objects have been preserved down to the smallest detail.

“They completely changed our perception of the Roman Empire, of the Roman military,” he said, explaining that far from being “a male-only domain” there were actually “a large number of women and children running everywhere".

The rising sun illuminates part of Hadrian's Wall near Hexham, northern England, on January 19, 2022 OLI SCARFF AFP/Archives

"Without these artifacts, we wouldn't have had this information and these are the kinds of things that are at risk because of climate change," he insists.

Events are held throughout the year to mark 1,900 years since construction of the wall began.

This anniversary is an opportunity for Mr Birley to reflect on how to ensure that the wall and its treasures will still be there in 1,900 years.

Part of Hadrian's Wall, near Hexham, northern England, January 19, 2022 OLI SCARFF AFP/Archives

“The Roman army embarked on one of the most massive constructions in the whole empire”, to design this “barrier in the heart of the country”, recalled Mr. Birley.

Now archaeologists face the challenge of climate change, and with it a host of questions: "Can we find out what is happening to these sites? Can we intervene to protect these sites? And can we save things before 'they never disappear?'

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© 2022 AFP