Portable calender find at Vindolanda

One of the great things about living near the central section of Hadrian's Wall is that there is the annual Vindolanda excavation. This year, they are excavating around the granaries and the vicus.
Last week, the Hexham Courant reported that they had found a perpetual portable calender, or at least part of one in the granaries. Such a thing has not been found in Britain before... Most towns and cities had massive calenders on the walls of buildings, but this is a handheld one, complete with holes where pegs could be placed. Once it is cleaned up, it will go on display at Vindolanda in the autumn.
They have also found a little finger ring inscribed matri/patri as well as an altar to the goddess of Syria. The Syrian connection is interesting and intriguing. Of course, one of the big graves in Corbridge was a merchant from Syria. His wife, Regina's grave stone is in the Newcastle Museum of Antiquities. Syria played a major role in Septimus Severus's reign. His wife, Julia Domina came from Syria...but really it is the first time that they discovered a link to the country at Vindolanda. I am secretly thrill as the thriller that I wrote but never sold had to do with the Syrian influence on the Wall.
You can read more about the ring and the statue here. The excavations are ongoing until the beginning of September. Also in September they are doing several lectures including the horse through the ages.