The historic Roman heads discovered in Cumbria earlier this year will be moved to a new home this Autumn. 

The once-in-a-lifetime finds, which were unearthed alongside several other eye-catching artefacts as part of the archaeological dig which took place at Carlisle cricket club, will be displayed at Tullie House Museum from September 23 until November 11. 

Digging Deeper: Uncovering Roman Carlisle, will be a new exhibition showcasing the recent internationally significant finds from Carlisle’s Roman Bathhouse, and will give visitors the chance to see the artefacts publically for the first time.

This exhibition will also celebrate the monumental community effort behind the dig. The most recent phase of excavations involved 373 volunteers, with more than 2,000 significant finds, and over 1,678 volunteer days given by volunteers since 2021. Over 6,000 people visited the site, including 625 trips from local schools.

News and Star: The Roman heads unearthed at Carlisle Cricket Club The Roman heads unearthed at Carlisle Cricket Club (Image: Newsquest)

Cllr Anne Quilter, Cumberland Council’s Executive Portfolio Holder for Vibrant and Healthy Places, said: "I am delighted that the artefacts found in Carlisle will be showcased in the city’s museum. This is a great opportunity to see some of the archaeological finds and also discover more about our area’s rich Roman heritage. I am sure it will be a must-see exhibition and would encourage everyone to make a visit."

Alongside the new finds, there will be another chance to see the items displayed as part of last year’s exhibition Uncovering Roman Carlisle, giving a sense of the dig’s progress since the discovery of the bathhouse site in 2017.

It will also feature drone footage of the dig site and a range of hands-on activities for all ages, including a digging area, games, and logic puzzles.

Lead archaeologist Frank Gieco said: "Many of these objects are already internationally recognised finds even though they were only discovered by our volunteers this summer. We hope that this exhibition can tell the story of how significant Roman Carlisle was, and how utterly unique these finds have been.

"Myself and the team at Wardell with the volunteers have been working away at identifying and understanding the staggering amount of discoveries, in particular those finds that have been recovered from the main bathhouse drains. The carvings on these gemstones tell so many stories from mythology and give us an insight into the minds of the Romans bathing 1800 years ago."

The exhibition will be free for under 18s and kids, with tickets for adults available to purchase from September 1.