After an ancient Roman fibula brooch was unearthed at Vindolanda this week, we’ve decided to take a look back at previous finds and events that have occurred at Hadrian’s Wall.

Arguably Northumberland’s most important historic landmark, the wall continues to attract thousands of visitors each year - some visiting for day trips, while others may be walking the length of the wall for charity or to challenge themselves.

Over the years, the 73 mile-long wall, which was the north-west frontier of the Roman Empire for almost 300 years, has hosted TV presenters, cultural events, whilst seeing countless ancient artefacts unearthed at sites such as Birdoswald, Vindolanda, and Housesteads.

The latest find has been dubbed the ‘chicken brooch’ due to the resemblance it bears to a chicken. Found near an oven, it is believed to have come from a 3rd century bakery on the site.

Previous finds include the gilt bronze statuette of Commodus, in the top left, which is supposedly from Birdoswald Roman Fort, around 11 miles west of Vindolanda. The emperor is shown in a gladiator’s tunic in the style of God Hercules. Finds have also turned up hundreds of miles awy - the Roman vessel shown was found in a dig in Staffordshire, despite bearing the names of four forts along Hadrian’s Wall.

The wall is one of the most recognisable sites in Northumberland and has appeared countless times on television.

Here, we can see Melvyn Bragg, Jodie Kidd, and Julian Richards from BBC’s Timewatch, but the landmark has also featured in Walking Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green and is even said to have inspired the ‘Wall of Ice’ in George R. R Martin’s Game of Thrones series.

One of the most popular and picturesque spots on the wall, Steel Rigg, is home to Sycamore Gap - one of the most photographed trees in the UK that visitors will recognise from Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Hadrian’s Wall stretches from Wallsend in the east to Bowness-on-Windermere in the west.