Xanten Archaeological Park (March 28, 2022)
On 28.03.22 it was finally time again. The Ancient History class set off on its first excursion since the coronavirus pandemic in glorious sunshine to the archaeological park in Xanten. Even though we only went on a one-day excursion, we were still very excited. After we had completed all the coronavirus formalities, we took the bus to Xanten on time at 8.00 am.
Once there, we were greeted by Dr. Armin Becker and Mr. Stephan Quick, who guided us through the park with their expertise throughout the day. We began the tour via the 'Harbor Temple Entrance' and first visited the temple of the same name. We then visited the Roman hostel, which we looked at in detail. We were particularly fascinated by the wall paintings.
After visiting the hostel, we went to the amphitheater, which was reconstructed very well on a 1:1 scale. We felt as if we were not on the edge of the province, but in the middle of Rome or a Roman city, such as those found in Africa Proconsularis (Tunisia).
We then fortified ourselves with salad and pizza in the small, charming town of Xanten. After the lunch break, we split into two groups: one visited the museum first, the other the depot. We then swapped groups. On the way to the museum, we made a detour to the Roman shipyard, where we were able to see how Roman ships were built. The very modern museum was fascinating with its numerous finds and exhibits.
A special highlight was the visit to the depot, where all of the park's finds are carefully collected and stored. Dr. Bernd Liesen gave us an insight into the work in the depot. We were shown what happens to the finds from the site: from the first sighting to treatment and storage.
Finally, we visited the Matron Temple. A member of staff kindly gave us the latest insights into her research.
Then, towards the evening, it was unfortunately time to head home again and we said our goodbyes. Despite the coronavirus precautions, it was a very enjoyable and successful excursion.
