NewsUK NewsArtIt is thought to invite wealth and security09:06, 12 Jul 2026A remarkably well-preserved Roman statue, deliberately buried some 1,600 years ago, has been unearthed close to Hadrian's Wall.‌The 1.5ft-high sandstone figure depicts a 'protective spirit' or 'genius', used as a shrine to attract security and prosperity. Unearthed at Vindolanda Fort near Hexham, Northumberland, the statue was concealed beneath the floor of a barrack building.‌Archaeologist Dr Andrew Birley stumbled upon the "incredibly rare" Roman Genius - the first found at the site - during an excavation on June 16. He said: "I was completely unprepared for what I found on the other side of this stone.‌"My first thought was simply, 'Who on earth am I looking at?' Thankfully, Hadrian's Wall is home to an incredibl