Fragmenten van vier altaren, waaronder twee Nehalennia-altaren, pl. XVIII 1843 - 1845

Curator: At first glance, I see something akin to an architectural elevation drawing, albeit with an archaeological sensibility. Editor: Precisely. What we're observing here is a print from between 1843 and 1845 by Tiemen Hooiberg titled "Fragmenten van vier altaren, waaronder twee Nehalennia-altaren, pl. XVIII," or "Fragments of four altars, including two Nehalennia altars, plate XVIII." It appears to be a meticulous rendering, primarily utilizing etching techniques to depict ancient altar fragments. Curator: The linear precision is remarkable. Each stroke serves to articulate not just form, but also the weathering, the history etched – quite literally – onto the surfaces of these stone relics. I’m drawn to the lettering… what can you tell me about these inscriptions? Editor: The inscriptions are key. Nehalennia was a local goddess, worshiped in the Roman province of Germania Inferior, primarily in the Zeeland region of what is now the Netherlands. These altars, dedicated to her, speak to the syncretism of Roman religious practice and local belief systems. You see dedications "DEAE NEHALENNI," to the goddess Nehalennia. Curator: Ah, so each altar piece then isn’t just a marker of faith, but a convergence point, where the local meets the global. Does the composition reflect that meeting of cultures, perhaps by style and construction methods or choice of materials available? Editor: Yes, that tension is at the heart of understanding such objects within their cultural context. The altars themselves, erected by merchants and sailors seeking safe passage, are physical embodiments of trade networks and the negotiation between Roman imperial power and local deities. Hooiberg's etching, then, further mediates our understanding by documenting and classifying these fragments in a rapidly modernizing world increasingly shaped by ideas of history and heritage. The way the objects have been drawn and assembled creates its own meaning. Curator: Absolutely, Hooiberg is part of that ongoing conversation of heritage itself. In this plate we're witness to faith, trade, artistic rendering, cultural continuity and all sorts of lovely conversations in time. Editor: Precisely. It reminds us how material culture and artistic documentation are invaluable for tracing the intertwined pathways of culture, religion, and power across history.