The Sacred Site of Isis- Mater Magna - Mainz
N 50° 00.068 E 008° 16.108
32U E 447574 N 5539013
A temple to the goddesses Isis and Magna Mater discovered in 2000 during an urban building project.
Waymark Code: WM168X
Location: Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Date Posted: 01/29/2007
Views: 119
The discovery of this site was made in 2000, when excavations in the heart of Mainz’s downtown shopping center struck the hidden remains of two temples celebrating ancient female divinities: Isis, the ancient Egyptian Goddess of Fertility and Renewal and that of the Mater Magna or Great Mother whose worship originated in Asia minor and was favored by soldiers.
The temples were still in use during the 3rd Century A.D. The discovery was sensational based on the numerous objects in good condition that were excavated. Among them were more than 300 oil lamps and sacrificial items including fruits such as dates and figs, certainly not local or even European produce, and pine nuts and grains which also burnt on the altars. Animal sacrifices were also performed here as countless chicken bones attested.
Beneath the buried statues of thee Goddesses were discovered statues of Venus, a pair of lovers in a tight embrace, a steer with a sacrificial lead, and a bronze of Mercury holding a money sack in his hand.
All of this cultural treasure revealing Roman religious practices was discovered in the course of the construction of a new shopping passage or mall. During the course of the next three years, the walls, stones and found items were carefully preserved and safely stored. In 2003 the Temple, with all its artifacts was then re-created in its original site in a presentation area called the “Taberna archaeologica.”
Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C.
Admission Fee: Free
Opening days/times:
Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Web Site: [Web Link]
Condition: Partly intact or reconstructed
|
Visit Instructions:
A complete sentence or two or an uploaded photo taken by the waymarker will be required in the log to confirm that the logger is participating in the hobby in good faith. Logs of only a few words like "Visited it" without an original photo are subject to deletion.