Discovered Beneath Frankfurt, a Buried Roman Sanctuary Hints to Startling Rituals

Rare hints concerning ancient rites, including potential human sacrifice, have been found in a secret Roman sanctuary beneath Frankfurt. An multinational team of scientists is now rushing to discover how this enigmatic, multi-god cult complex functioned on the empire's northern boundary after securing significant financing.

The sanctuary was discovered in Frankfurt's Nordweststadt neighbourhood during excavations conducted by the Monument Office in 2016–2018 and again in 2022. Archaeologists uncovered more than 4,500 square meters in the heart of the old Roman city of Nida while building a new school.

The excavation uncovered a walled structure that had been mostly unaltered since the Roman era, maintaining a distinct image of its original design. "The central cult district of Nida represents an archaeological discovery of almost unparalleled significance in Europe" .

With more than €1 million in financing from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG), researchers will conduct a thorough analysis of the site over the course of the next three years.

Extensive Offerings and Unprecedented Architecture

In addition to around 70 shafts and ten pits used for ceremonial depositions, the sanctuary consists of eleven stone structures built over numerous stages. There are no documented similarities to the building's layout in the Roman provinces of Germania or Gaul.

More than 5,000 pieces of painted wall plaster and bronze window and door fittings were discovered by archaeologists, indicating elaborately adorned buildings.

"In many ancient sanctuaries, our knowledge is limited to the ground plans of the cult buildings," stated Anja Klöckner, a Goethe University Frankfurt professor of classical archaeology. "At Nida, however, the large number of preserved wall-painting fragments allows us to gain far deeper insight into room heights, spatial organization, and interior design" .

Ceramic vessels and copious amounts of plant and animal remains, including fish and birds, were found in the shafts and pits. These materials are said to be the leftovers of offerings and ritual banquets given to the gods. 150 samples were gathered by researchers for in-depth archaeobotanical and archaeozoological examination.

More than 70 silver and bronze garment clasps (fibulae), some of which are still intact, and 254 Roman coins provide more insight. In Roman religious sites, these items are frequently connected to offerings. But experts have also found evidence that could indicate human sacrifice, which is incredibly uncommon for this area.

A Pantheon of Frontier Deities

Even with the wealth of information, it is still challenging to pinpoint the precise gods that were revered. A number of gods, including Jupiter, Jupiter Dolichenus, Mercurius Alatheus, Diana, Apollo, and Epona, are suggested to be present in inscriptions and images. This mixture suggests that the sanctuary was probably a significant local hub where several Roman pantheon deities were revered side by side.

According to available data, the site was founded in the early second century AD. The sanctuary continued to operate at least until the middle of the third century AD, as evidenced by a September 9, 246 AD, dedication made by a soldier to Mercurius Alatheus. This inscription, which offers fascinating hints about the sanctuary's last days, was discovered in a well with a bronze figure of the goddess Diana and a human skeleton.

Nida was established as a military base in the 70s of the first century AD, and by the early 2nd century, it had developed into a significant center of culture and commerce. Up to its abandonment in 275 or 280 AD, the city—known for its cultural diversity—remained one of the region's most important urban centers.

The site's remarkable preservation emphasises Nida's significance as a major hub in Roman Germania, and future studies are expected to fundamentally alter our knowledge of prehistoric religious rituals on the outside of the empire.

Top image: Signs of the sanctuary's demise? A human skeleton, a dedication inscription to Mercury Alatheus dated September 9, 246 AD, and a bronze figure of the goddess Diana were discovered in a well. Monument Office,Frankfurt City