During excavations at the ancient site of Thiel in Gelderland, in the central eastern Netherlands, archaeologists have unearthed valuable Roman treasures, including a statue of the god Jupiter, a dei (goddess) headstone, 2,500 bronze objects and a unique pot of ointment.
The Romans came to the Netherlands around the 1st century AD to expand their empire northward, stopping first on the Elbe River and then on the Rhine. The Rhine became the natural border of the Roman Empire in Northwest Europe, and many Roman settlements and forts were built along its shores.
The excavation site at Tila has yielded many important artifacts from Roman times, including a Roman burial urn with a small glass bottle inside. For 4 centuries, the Romans dominated Western Europe, Gelderland was part of the border province of the Roman Empire.
A statue of the god Jupiter and other artifacts at the site of Teal.
Interestingly, many valuable and intricate objects have been discovered on this site, but according to historical records, the area was inhabited by Batavian farmers, people who lived in simple wooden and adobe houses.
In the wealthy Roman city of Nijmegen, a statue or pot of ointment was not out of place, and even there they would be quite rare. This tells us more about the Batavs and how they developed. Perhaps some of them were more romanized than previously thought.
Archaeologists ponder whether this place was a temple or a mansion.
The owner of the artifacts could be an important Batavian who wanted to recreate a part of Rome in his mansion, surrounding himself with expensive and rare items. But we may have stumbled upon a temple. Almost all of the bronze objects were found in a square of 20 by 50 meters, so this could very well be a place of sacrifice.
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Interesting vessels at the excavation site.
The excavation has been suspended to allow the current farmer - the owner - to plant and harvest. The archaeologists will then try to open the floor plan to determine if it is a mansion or a temple.
The foundation of any building must remain in the ground. And if the researchers find out exactly what they are dealing with, it can help the Tiel City Council decide on the construction of a new industrial complex.