A unique 2000-year-old shrine has been found in the Netherlands

Categories: Nálezy nejenom s detektorem v západní Evropě

Remains of a 1st-century Roman sanctuary have been discovered in Herwen-Hemeling in the eastern Netherlands. It is the first of its kind in the area of the Lower Germanic Limes, the former border of the Germanic provinces of the Roman Empire. With its preserved altars, structures, statues and sacrificial pits, it is the most complete sanctuary in the whole of the Netherlands.

Archaeological volunteers came across the first traces late last year while exploring the area with clay mining. They reported the discovery to the Netherlands Agency for Cultural Heritage, which stopped the mining and arranged for a professional excavation. Subsequent investigations revealed several intact bones of various types, followed by an avalanche of archaeological material, such as eavesweapon fragments, harness fittings, roof tiles bearing the names of manufacturers, and intact votive altars and fragments of votive altars.

The sanctuary was primarily used by soldiers. This is evident from the many impressions on the roof tiles, as their manufacture was one of the military activities at that time. Many fragments of horse harnesses, armour and spearheads were also found on the site. High-ranking Roman officers erected votive stones to thank the gods for granted wishes. These were not always for victorious battles. Simply surviving in these northern regions far from home was reason enough to give thanks.

Architectural finds include a well with a large stone staircase leading to the water. Thanks to coins and fragments of inscriptions, archaeologists were able to date the well to the narrow range of 220-230 AD. These are rare remains that have somehow managed to avoid the fate of many other Roman buildings in the Netherlands and elsewhere: after the fall of imperial rule they were generally recycled as building material.

The dating of the artefacts suggests that the temple complex was in continuous use from the 1st to the 4th century. An unprecedented number of stone fragments from hundreds of votive altars and statues have been found here, many with legible inscriptions of deities and the men who dedicated the altars to them in gratitude for answered prayer. Common deities include Hercules Magusanus (a syncretic Romanized local god), Jupiter-Serapis, and Mercury.

There were at least two temples in the sanctuary. A larger one in the Gallo-Roman "fanum" style. The smaller temple had a tiled roof. Fragments of reliefs and painted plaster mark the rich decoration of the walls. The sanctuary stood at the confluence of the Rhine and Waal rivers on a natural hill, which was artificially raised by the builders. It was built close to the Castellum Carvium, a fortress on the south bank of the Lower Rhine and ten kilometres from another Roman fortress in the village of Loo.

Both these sites are known only from moveable archaeological material - bronze vessels, bricks, horse fittings - because what remained of the forts after their dismantling was destroyed by the Rhine floods. The name Carvium is interesting: it was a Latinized derivative of the Germanic word Harh-wiha, meaning "sacred space". Archaeologists have long suspected that it may have been a reference to a nearby shrine. The current discovery has therefore confirmed the hypothesis.

The artefacts recovered from the site will be on display at an exhibition at the Valkhof Museum in Nijmegen until 30 September.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qboOvj3hf5k

Roman Nemec
Sources: nltimes.nl, thehistoryblog.com, raap.nl

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