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Two Roman Water Sanctuaries

Heckenmuenster and Hochscheid, Bernkastel-Wittlich County, Rhineland Palatinate

Heckenmuenster

Along the road between Heckemuenster and Erlenbach is a good tasting "sauerbrunnen" or chalybeate spring, whose waters were sold under the label "Viktoria Quelle" (Victoria Spring). Nearby is another sulfurous spring, called the Wallenborn. Until the forest clearances of 1966, it was possible to see the remnants of the wall foundations of a gallo-roman water sanctuary and cult site.

By the spring was a large, walled complex consisting of hostels, bathing facilities, a theater, temple, and other buildings. The bathing facility could be heated. This complex was apparently destroyed during the Germanic invasions of the 3rd century and not rebuilt.

Hochscheid

Bernkastel-Wittlich County, Rhineland Palatinate

During construction of a permanent water supply, a spring was uncovered SW of the village of Hochscheid, on the slopes of the Idar Forest in the Hunsrueck district. The spring had been walled during the Roman era and served as a healing well. A temple of the rectangular Gallo-Roman type was built on the site. Inside the temple an altar was discovered beside the well, dedicated to Apollo. A second altar was dedicated to Apollo and "Holy Sirona" (Apollo’s female counterpart) Sirona is represented wearing a tunic and over dress, with a star shaped diadem on her wavy hair. She has a snake coiled around her left hand. (This may have given rise to the many enchanted wells guarded by a crowned snake to be found in this part of the country)

The temple complex seems to have been destroyed during the Germanic invasions of the 3rd century, and like Heckenmuenster, never rebuilt or reused.

Die Roemer in Rheinland-Pfalz, Heinz Cueppers (ed), Theiss, 1990

ISBN 3 8062 0308 3

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