Temple district of Eschweiler-Fronhoven

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The temple district of Eschweiler-Fronhoven was a matron shrine , which was discovered in the former Eschweiler districts of Fronhoven and Lohn in 1980 and dates from the 2nd to 4th centuries. The place was probably the central place of worship and dual sanctuary for the Matronae Alaferhviae and for the previously unknown Matronae Amfratninae .

Discovery

In the run-up to the development of the “Zukunft West” open-cast lignite mining area in 1980, a Roman-era sanctuary was excavated between the districts of Fronhoven and Lohn after initial prospecting in the “Domerberg” corridor in spring (January to March). Above the temple precinct there was a late-late-late-period cremation cemetery on the slope. Both the localities and the sites are now excavated by the opencast mine.

Finding

The investigated area of ​​2,000 m² was located slightly sloping on the western edge of the Domerberg. The area of ​​the temple precinct had the size of 80 × 90 m and was surrounded by a moat and separated from the surroundings by a partition wall ( temenos ). The sanctuary included an ensemble of four buildings (A, B, C, D), of whose masonry only the stitching and excavation holes (i.e. the foundations) were preserved. Two of the buildings were addressed as sacred buildings (A, B). Building A was a rectangular structure with a rectangular apse and B was a rectangular Gallo-Roman temple . Buildings A, D and B were arranged around a central square with a 20 m deep and 1.5 m wide fountain in the middle. C was laid out to the south-east behind B, to the north-east of both buildings the moat and the dividing wall were cut. The findings indicate several construction phases: Buildings B and C were erected at the same time and relate to each other, and they also show the same foundations and stitching. A and D cannot be put chronologically, especially since only the excavation holes in the foundation walls were detectable. The fountain was constructed in the late 5th century.

  • Building A was laid out to the southeast, the entrance of which was on the front side in the northeast, the front wall towered over the side walls by 0.50 m on both sides. The apse was built on the (south) west side. The building had the dimensions of 12.50 × 9.50 m, the walls had an average thickness of 1 to 1.10 m at the foundation, the embroidery of which could not be captured.
  • Building B was located 26 m east of Building A with the front facing northeast and an entrance that could be recognized by a slightly protruding foundation. The cella of the temple had the dimensions of 6.00 × 5.20 m with a 0.80 m thick wall. The passage was 12.10 × 11.20 m with a corridor width of 2.25 m under a wall thickness of 0.70 m. The basilica is interpreted as a meeting room for the Curiae (temple staff).
  • Building C was located southeast of B and was a thirty meter long hall with a width of 5.80 m and 1 to 1.10 m thick masonry. The longitudinal wall facing B had foundations protruding on the inside and outside, indicating a pilaster-like structure. The building is interpreted as a votive hall.
  • Building D was in the northwest of the area opposite B. The rectangular building has the dimensions of 10.50 × 8.00 m. Post holes were found on the front (southeast side) towards the central square, which indicate a portico . The building is interpreted as a commercial building to supply the visitors and finds an analogous form in building D of the temple district of Nöthen / Pesch .

To the west of D ovens were discovered whose function remained unknown. The central square shows some post holes in structured group arrangements, which, however, could not be supplemented to form building plans. The well, discovered during dredging work in late summer 1980, was dug to the bottom. The well wall rested on twenty 1.50 m long and 0.25 m wide oak planks that were set vertically into the ground. For the wall of the wall wreath, numerous (decors) stones were hewn into cuboids (a total of 100 of which 39 dedicatory inscriptions partly fragmented, three with figural depictions), which consisted of yellow-white, yellow and red sandstone as well as tuff and greywacke .

Finds

The precipitation ranges from the 2nd to the 4th century. In addition to the prominent finds of the numerous votive stones, fragments of terra sigillata and bronze finds such as fibulas , needles and coins were made in the fountain filling . The end of the coin series is a previously unpublished seriation from the Valentine period from the second half of the 4th century. Roman brick fragments, ceramics, three lead weights (one divided, one in the shape of a foot and one stamped) as well as a comb, needles and coins were found in the filling of the fountain.

The chronological appraisal of the ceramics shows a main period of use of the temple area, which was in the period from the 2nd to the 3rd century, whereas ceramics from the 4th century are more rarely documented. The dendrochronological examination of the well piles revealed a felling date after the year 400.

literature

  • Frank Biller: Cultic centers and matron worship in the southern Germania inferior. Publishing house Marie Leidorf, Rahden / Westf. 2010, ISBN 978-3-89646-734-8 , pp. 241ff.
  • Anna-Barbara Follmann-Schulz: The Roman temples in the province of Germania inferior. In: Wolfgang Haase (Hrsg.): Rise and decline of the Roman world . Bd. II 18, 1 Religion (Paganism: The religious conditions in the provinces). de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1986. ISBN 3-11-010050-9 , pp. 726-728. 
  • Wolfgang Gaitzsch : excavations and finds 1980: Eschweiler, Kr. Aachen. 1. In: Bonner Jahrbücher 182, 1982, pp. 487-491.

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ TK 5103 Eschweiler: r 2604-2084, h 3489-3510

Coordinates: 50 ° 51 ′ 39.8 "  N , 6 ° 17 ′ 59.1"  E