In the English city of Carlisle, not far from Hadrian's Wall, built by the Romans in 122-128. to protect against the Celtic tribes, archaeologists have discovered more than thirty intaglios. These decorations are made of amethyst, carnelian, jasper using the technique of deep relief (or counter-relief). They were found in the sewers of an ancient bathhouse built in the early 200s. on the territory of Fort Uxelodunum.
The intaglios, 5–16 mm in size, depict Roman deities: Venus, Ceres, Apollo, Fortune. In addition to these jewelry, dozens of women's hairpins, more than a hundred beads, coins, ceramics and weapons were found among the ruins. It remains a mystery how all these items got into the sewers. According to preliminary data, the artifacts were hidden or lost in the 3rd century.
The ruins of the baths were first explored in 2017. Part of the premises and plumbing are well preserved. It was probably built at the time when the Roman emperor Septimius Severus made his last military campaign in Caledonia - the northern part of Great Britain. Several inscriptions discovered here are dedicated to Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus and mother of Caracalla. Access to the bath had elite cavalrymen from the regiment Ala Gallorum Petriana (Ala Gallorum Petriana), numbering more than 700 people. However, the jewelry found may indicate that wealthy women also visited the bath.
