The first, called “Roemerbrunnen” or Roman Well is located
along
the high ridge between the two villages of Desloch and Jeckenbach, on the
northern side of the Glan River Valley.
The
Roemerbrunnen is reached by following a paved field road that climbs steeply up
from Jeckenbach, and then runs across the open pasture land on top of the
ridge. Shortly after the paving ends, a cluster of trees and bushes is seen on
the left, with a tall well sweep standing higher than the shrubbery.
The
well is at approximately 350 meters above sea level. The above ground casing
consists of four rectangular cut stones. Below ground level, the well shaft is
lined with smaller cut stones. The
water level is about two feet , and the water is clean and clear. Beside the well is an oblong stone water
trough. The well sweep could be used to fill this trough, dipping water in
large buckets and pouring it into the trough. In an area of dry hilltop
pasturage, water for the animals was very welcome.
A
sign attached to the well sweep post attributes the well to the Romans. According to local tradition, it was used by
Roman troops as a rest area, and indicates the road beside the well was a Roman
road.
While this road is not
marked as a Roman road on the topo map, it could be an extension of a road that
ran northwest southeast and joined the ridge top Roman road that followed the
Glan River. The Glan River Valley was a
major east-west route since earliest times. Local tradition also has Attila the
Hun and his armies using this route to reach central France.
The
Roemerbrunnen is located at MA 007 073 or 49 degrees, 42 minutes North
Latitude, 7 degrees, 37 minutes East Longitude. It is signposted off the
Desloch-Jeckenbach road; however, the sign is leaning against the edge
barricade with the words facing the wrong way!
The
second Roman well is not in its original location. The elegant well housing is now situated in a park like area in
Rockenhausen near a local museum.
Rockenhausen is in Donnersberg County, about thirty miles north of
Kaiserslautern.
The well casing was
discovered on the hillside south of the village of Katzenbach (about three
miles from Rockenhausen) called
“Falkensass” Nearby are the remains of a large Roman farm-villa complex. Coins
dating from the 340’s were found near the well.
The
well casing is skillfully carved. The water flowed into the first basin through
a vase flanked by dolphins. It then ran into two side basins. The basins are
kept filled with water; today the water was covered with a thick layer of ice!
The
area around Rockenhausen was quite thickly settled. Sites of several other farm-villas have been discovered, as well
as a Mithraeum, with typical; carvings as well as an altar dedicated to
Mercury.
As we drove through
Rockenhausen to the museum, we passed a street called “Gutenbrunnen
Strasse”. This means “Good Spring
Street”, and Gutenbrunnen is the term used for a holy or healing well. However,
the seems to be no trace of any such well left after the railroad was built
through this part of town.
Entdeckungsreisen
im Landkreis Bad Kreuznach; Historisch Sehenwertes. Bodo Lipps, ed., 1991
Die Roemer in
Rheinland-Pfaelz, Heinz Cueppers, ed. Theis, 1990
Photos
are snatched from videos taken on January 15, 2000.
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